From building castles in the air to building dreams in reality

First-year student Vellyn Tan aspires to be a civil engineer. A diploma graduate in Advanced & Digital Manufacturing, she has always been fascinated by construction marvels like the Marina Bay Sands (MBS) and the Jewel Changi Airport (Jewel).

"How were they able to place a "ship" on top, balanced by three columns?" she wonders about the MBS. "And it's also amazing how the Jewel roof, constructed with over 9,000 individually numbered speciality glass panels, is able to support the massive waterfall feature!" 

Getting a head start from Woh Hup

To nurture her dreams, Vellyn was awarded the Woh Hup Bursary, which aids students with limited financial resources. Notably, Woh Hup Pte Ltd was the company behind the construction of Jewel and many other iconic developments. The bursary will help Vellyn in covering expenses for her civil engineering degree course at SIT. Keen to learn about how structures are designed and constructed, Vellyn envisions creating buildings and spaces where people feel safe and protected.

From a young age, Vellyn loved building Lego, especially those of mansions and castles. Over time, she advanced to creating her own installations. This hobby extended into the virtual world, where she builds many imaginary structures like spaceships, floating castles and mansions in Minecraft. For Vellyn, Lego-building gives her the space and freedom to be as creative as she wants to be. It has also provided her solace during difficult times.

Weathering financial challenges

About four years ago, Vellyn’s family faced financial strain when her father was retrenched during the COVID-19 pandemic. A former senior manager of an air freight company, he struggled to secure a new job due to his age. To support the family and ensure Vellyn could pursue her university dreams, he took on two jobs – working as a kitchen assistant in the mornings and as a taxi driver in the afternoons. Working every day, including weekends and public holidays, Vellyn worries about the toll it may take on his health, given his heart condition.

"His heart is very, very weak. He's afraid. I'm also afraid," says Vellyn, fearful that he may pass on anytime. "I have a younger sister in secondary school, so I cannot afford to not do anything about it."

Despite her mother working as a warehouse assistant and contributing to the household, financial stress persists – especially with the family also caring for her grandmother, who requires medical attention for heart issues.

For now, the bursary has given Vellyn some peace of mind as she need not burden her parents with her university fees for at least a year. She plans to use part of the bursary for an overseas exchange in the UK, a pre-requisite requirement of the Civil Engineering programme. She also works part-time, utilising her savings to fund her tuition fees. 

Determined to succeed

Adjusting to university life has been a challenge for Vellyn, who is currently at the half year mark of her studies. She finds the curriculum rigorous, with demanding modules and complex formulas to master.

“I believe that with hard work, I can be better, just like I did in polytechnic,” she says with determination. While she struggled during her first year at polytechnic, she eventually excelled in the final year, making it to the Director’s List, an honour awarded to the top 15% of students. 

Vellyn is not one to give up. She draws inspiration from her cousin, a civil engineering professor at a local university, who has been encouraging her to stay focused on her goals. She also draws strength from past experiences, including recovering from two major leg injuries which left her with broken bones and a 4cm deep knee cut that still causes periodic pain to this day and ended her dancing days. The out-going girl used to enjoy K-pop dance, sports and high-adrenaline activities but now contends with sitting on the sidelines.  

“I watch my friends have fun and imagine myself joining them,” she shares wistfully. “It's kind of sad, but I’ve come to terms with it. I focus my energy on reading and Lego-building. Recently, I’ve also picked up craft-making and made flowers out of pipe cleaners for my grandmother.” 

Inspired to help others

Inspired by the support she has received, Vellyn hopes to help students from low-income families in the future.

"I'm grateful and I thank Woh Hup for believing in me and awarding this bursary. I may not be gifted or a straight-As student. Neither am I especially talented. But I know what I want to be and what to do, and that is to use my abilities to help others," she reflects.

Vellyn dreams of one day working for Woh Hup, contributing to their legacy of building Singapore’s skyline and inspiring others to achieve their dreams.