{"id":3050,"date":"2025-04-29T07:22:36","date_gmt":"2025-04-29T07:22:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev-alumn-nus.pantheonsite.io\/alumnus\/?p=3050"},"modified":"2025-07-15T16:07:38","modified_gmt":"2025-07-15T08:07:38","slug":"from-shy-student-to-changemaker-finding-her-voice-at-nus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/2025\/04\/29\/from-shy-student-to-changemaker-finding-her-voice-at-nus\/","title":{"rendered":"From Shy Student to Changemaker: Finding Her Voice at NUS"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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When Ms Lara Chal first entered the National University of Singapore (NUS), she did not imagine herself leading large-scale student initiatives or moderating national policy discussions. Today, the final-year Life Sciences undergraduate serves as the Director of Alumni Relations and Community Engagement in the 46th NUS Students\u2019 Union Executive Committee, overseeing a team of 20 and launching inclusive university-wide events.<\/p>

\u201cI used to be extremely shy,\u201d she admitted with a laugh. \u201cBefore NUS, I wasn\u2019t involved in any leadership roles. But in my first year, I took a leap and signed up to lead my Science Faculty\u2019s Bash event and my hall\u2019s Dinner & Dance. That\u2019s when I realised I actually love working with people, creating new initiatives and helping others feel seen.\u201d<\/p>

Ms Chal credits NUS for providing the environment to develop into the leader she has become. \u201cThere are over 300 clubs and CCAs \u2014 everything from judo and golf to cultural and community groups,\u201d she shared. \u201cIt\u2019s a university of opportunities. You just have to act on them.\u201d<\/p>

One of her key motivations is fostering a sense of belonging among all students, no matter their faculty or hall. \u201cNot everyone joins a faculty club or stays in hall, and they end up feeling left out,\u201d she explained. \u201cThat\u2019s why I wanted to create university-wide initiatives that anyone could participate in.\u201d<\/p>

CONNECTING THROUGH CONVERSATION<\/strong><\/p>

One such initiative is Trek & Connect, an event pairing small groups of students with NUS alumni for a casual morning hike followed by intimate conversations. The format is simple: Walk, talk and connect. \u201cWe\u2019ve done it at Mount Faber and around the NUS campus. Students choose from a list of alumni based on their interests, and we pair them up in small groups. It\u2019s relaxed and very personal,\u201d she said. \u201cOne alumnus even hosted a group of students at his office after the event
\u2014 it\u2019s been amazing to see those bonds form.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Trek & Connect pairs small groups of students with NUS alumni for hiking and conversation.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Unlike formal panel discussions, Ms Chal said Trek & Connect gives students the space to ask fundamental questions and gain career advice in a comfortable setting. \u201cStudents told us they finally felt heard,\u201d she added. \u201cThat\u2019s what makes it all worth it.\u201d<\/p>

WIDENING HER WORLDVIEW <\/strong><\/p>

Another milestone was her role as Social Chair in the Harvard Undergraduates in Asia Program, where she helped host Harvard delegates during their spring visit to Singapore.<\/p>

Eager to showcase the best of the country, Ms Chal and her team organised visits to iconic spots such as Jewel Changi Airport, Singapore Botanic Gardens and hawker centres. \u201cThey were blown away by how green our city is, how clean it is, and how good and affordable our food is,\u201d she said.<\/p>

The experience left a lasting impression on her as well. \u201cWhen we visited Harvard in turn, I was struck by how open and questioning their academic culture is,\u201d she said. \u201cStudents aren\u2019t afraid to challenge their professors \u2014 it made me realise how important it is to create space for dialogue and diverse views.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Ms Chal moderating a panel session with Minister of National Development Mr Desmond Lee and Housing and Development Board CEO Mr Tan Meng Dui.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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One of Ms Chal\u2019s proudest moments was moderating a panel discussion with Minister of National Development Mr Desmond Lee and Housing and Development Board CEO Mr Tan Meng Dui. The high-profile event was held at NUS to discuss new housing policies for young couples. \u201cIt was nerve-wracking but extremely rewarding,\u201d she recalled. \u201cAs a student organiser, I had to navigate working with government agencies, which involved a lot of coordination and patience. But seeing NUS credited in national news coverage made all that work feel worth it.\u201d<\/p>

A LEADER WHO LISTENS<\/strong><\/p>

Throughout her leadership journey, Ms Chal has embraced two principles: Take every opportunity and listen more than you speak. \u201cYour committee often has the best ideas \u2014 you just need to give them the space to share,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019ve learnt that being a good leader isn\u2019t about giving directions; it\u2019s about creating a collaborative space where everyone feels heard.\u201dShe also represented NUS at the University Leaders Dialogue, discussing the meaning of success with student leaders from across Singapore. \u201cIt was humbling,\u201d she said. \u201cEveryone had such different perspectives. Some said success was about travel, others about making an impact. It reminded me that leadership isn\u2019t one-size-fits-all.\u201d<\/p>

As she prepares to graduate, Ms Chal plans to apply her leadership experience to the pharmaceutical industry, particularly in medical affairs. \u201cNUS taught me not to shy away from opportunities. Even if you\u2019re unsure, just try. You\u2019ll either succeed or grow \u2014 and both are wins,\u201d she said. \u201cI want to carry that mindset into my career: To be bold, collaborative and always open to learning.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Photos by Dillon Tan<\/h6>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Final year student Ms Lara Chal shares how cultural exchange, inclusive initiatives like Trek & Connect, and a belief in the power of listening shaped her leadership journey.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3051,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"elementor_theme","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3050","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-leadership"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3050","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3050"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3050\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3059,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3050\/revisions\/3059"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3051"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3050"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3050"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3050"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}