It was a sea of caps and gowns amidst a multitude of colours at Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT)’s first graduation ceremony of the year
Students from University of Nevada, Las Vegas, in their red graduation gowns and caps listening to the opening address by guest of honour, Mr Heng Swee Keat, Minister for Education at the SIT Graduation Ceremony 2014 (16 March 2014). Photo | SIT
SINGAPORE – May 16, 2014 will unequivocally be a day to remember for many SIT students, marking a milestone academic achievement in their lives.
Some 120 graduands from seven degree programmes attended the celebratory event, which marked the first SIT graduation ceremony for the year. The graduands were from SIT’s three Overseas University partners namely: Technical University of Munich (TUM), DigiPen Institute of Technology (DP), and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV).
Held at the Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre, the ceremony was graced by Mr Heng Swee Keat, Minister for Education, SIT senior management staff and senior representatives from the institution’s overseas university partners.
Offering his felicitations to the graduating students, Minister Heng also encouraged SIT to move forward with a focus on real world applications, innovation and life skills in his keynote speech.
Professor Tan Thiam Soon, President, SIT, also addressed the graduands, many of whom were from pioneer graduating cohort in the Chemical Engineering programme. Thanking both the staff and faculty, Professor Tan also spoke about the new degree programmes which the new autonomous university is offering in 2014.
Prof Tan Thiam Soon, President SIT addressing graduands and guest at the SIT Graduation Ceremony 2014 (16 May 2014). Photo | SIT
“As part of our new identity, we are launching the first 3 degree programmes that will fly the SIT flag: namely, in Sustainable Infrastructure Engineering, Information and Communication Technology and Accountancy,” Prof Tan said.
he ceremony was followed by a presentation of the SembCorp Industries Book Prize and the Wing Tai Retail Prize to the top students of the graduating batch. For Tommy Indra Winata, who was one of the two recipients of the SembCorp Industries award, the graduation ceremony also marked a brand new chapter in his life.
“There are many challenges in the future I have to face; completing university studies is just one of them,” said Winata, “I hope graduating from SIT as one of its top students gives me a head start.”
Bryan Yeo, valedictorian for class of 2014, DigiPen Institute of Technology, making his speech at the SIT Graduation Ceremony 2014 (16 May 2014). Photo | SIT
No graduation ceremony would have been complete without a valedictory address of tribulations and aspirations by the year’s top student, an honour which went to Bryan Yeo Jun Rong. The valedictorian, who had clinched the Wing Tai Retail Prize, graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science in Real-Time Interactive Simulation from the DigiPen Institute of Technology.
Yeo, who had earlier won a Student Showcase award at the Independent Games Festival China, rounded off his valedictory address by asking all the graduates, who were seated separately from their families, to join him in thanking their parents as a gesture of gratitude amidst the release of coloured balloons.
SIT, which had joined the ranks of the other four autonomous universities in Singapore earlier this year to become the island state’s fifth university, will hold its next graduation ceremony in November 2014.
