Organised by the NUS Alumni Relations & Community Engagement Unit of the National University of Singapore Students’ Union (NUSSU) External Cell, Trek and Connect 2026 was held on 7 and 28 March at the Singapore Botanic Gardens. The event brought students and alumni together in small groups for conversations on careers, internships and life beyond NUS, fostering an environment where experiences and questions could be discussed more openly.
For students navigating the transition from university to working life, such exchanges offered practical insights into career paths, workplace realities and the decisions that shape them. Without the pressure of formal networking settings, participants were able to move beyond introductions and speak more candidly about their concerns, interests and aspirations.
Opening Up & Gaining Perspective
Ms Mihika Joshi (Arts & Social Sciences ’23), Economist at the Ministry of Trade and Industry, shared that while she came prepared to offer advice, she found equal value in listening and learning. Engaging with students allowed her to better understand how they think about their futures and navigate uncertainty today. Reflecting on her own time as a student, Ms Joshi noted that many alumni interactions during the COVID-19 period had been limited to surface-level exchanges. In contrast, Trek and Connect encouraged more thoughtful conversations, where participants could take the time to explore ideas in greater depth.
For Adam Wee (Year 3, Law), who was attending an alumni event for the first time, the experience felt easy and approachable. As someone exploring a career in policy work, he valued the opportunity to speak directly with Ms Joshi, who offered insights that felt tangible and grounded in real experience.
Mr Johnson Chng (Science ’95), Senior Vice President at DBS Bank, emphasised the importance of helping students develop a broader understanding of the working world. “It’s very important that youngsters…get a world view of how things are,” he said, noting that talking with industry mentors can help students better inform their views about the future.
A Community That Expands Beyond Campus
The conversations also pointed to the role of alumni engagement in the student experience, highlighting how events like these can facilitate more personal forms of exchange. Alumni were able to share not only advice, but also the uncertainties, decisions and adjustments that shaped their own paths after graduation. For students, these conversations can make the transition beyond university feel less abstract.
Recent alumni offered reflections that resonated with the student experience, while those further along in their careers provided a wider view of how interests, choices and opportunities can evolve over time.Taken together, these interactions reflected a wider strength of the NUS community: not simply the range of perspectives it holds, but the willingness of alumni to return, share and support a younger generation. By bringing students and alumni together through open dialogue and common experience, such initiatives help strengthen a network rooted in mentorship, connection and the spirit of giving back.
