Expanding academic and cultural horizons

Keith SNG, Year 4, Environmental Studies, describes his Student Exchange Programme (SEP) experience as nothing short of eye-opening,

Keith went to Colgate University, a liberal arts college in Hamilton, New York, in the second semester of Academic Year 2018/2019.

During his exchange, he had the opportunity to interact with locals in the community, and gained different perspectives in the process. “My friends overseas encouraged me to be bolder, more ambitious, and most importantly, to never stop pursuing my passions,” he said. On the other hand, the Singaporean mindset, he adds, is to view life as a competition, with the pinnacle of success defined by society rather than individuals.

The biology and geography classes he attended helped him to better understand the inter-relation between natural systems and the practical applications of course concepts in the real world.

Keith was also a part of the Colgate Ultimate Frisbee team, where he got to experience activities unique to American culture, such as college parties and thanksgiving dinner.  

While he had to take steps out of his comfort zone, for instance, in understanding different cultural references during conversations, Keith discovered that such experiences nevertheless yielded valuable learnings. “Over time, I learnt to slow down my pace of speaking to articulate myself better,” he said.

Would he recommend fellow students to participate in SEP? Keith’s answer is a resounding yes!  “Opportunities for overseas studies are rare after university and SEPs are a priceless, once-in-a-lifetime experience that will contribute to personal growth and development.”  

Read: Local universities looking to resume overseas exchange programmes from Jan 2022 - CNA