Yet again, the Singapore Management University (SMU) was one of the corporate and community partners that received the People’s Association (PA) Community Spirit (PACS) Awards at the 2018 Awards Presentation Ceremony held on 23 October. For the University’s outstanding community service and contributions towards the community, SMU received the Community Partnership Excellence Award.
All recipients’ contributions were assessed in five broad areas: (a) Volunteerism Philosophy and Commitment; (b) Community Bonding and Outreach; (c) Sharing and Caring for the Community; (d) Impact and Multiplier Effect on the Community; and (e) Quality of Partnership.
Recommended by the Central Singapore Community Development Council (CDC), the award was merited by a range of initiatives, including several collaborations with the CDC, the most recent being the Purple Parade held on 27 October 2018.
The Purple Parade 2018
Helmed by Artistic Director Mr Quek Ling Kiong, The Purple Symphony (TPS) was launched in July 2015 as Singapore’s largest inclusive orchestra. Supported by Central Singapore CDC, TPS comprises of musicians with and without special needs. It serves not only as a platform for musicians to learn and share music with one another, but also to embrace the spirit of inclusiveness and excellence that these musicians can achieve together as a collective. Since 2015, SMU Chinese Orchestra (SMUCO) has been actively rendering our support to TPS by performing alongside the orchestra in their annual concerts and at The Purple Parade. Together as an orchestra, SMUCO and their members provide support for each other, musically and otherwise, to present wonderful performances for the audience.
On 27 October, as part of TPS, 10 members from SMUCO participated in The Purple Parade. For the very first time, SMU also fielded an SMU contingent for the Parade March-Past segment. A total of 130 SMU staff and students enjoyed the unifying experience of marching together with friends and families from the Prader-Willis Syndrome support group, after a sharing session by the support group at Prinsep Street Residences earlier that morning.
Nurture Programme
From April this year, a team of 15 SMU undergraduates have been volunteering at the Stamford Primary School every week under the Central Singapore CDC’s 40-week Nurture Programme. Through the Programme, which mainly targets students from low income families between the ages of 7 and 12, the primary school students’ communication skills and self-confidence are developed through interactive activities. The SMU students involved are recipients of the Quantedge Foundation Scholarship, which was established in SMU in 2017 to provide scholarships to needy undergraduates.
SMU Challenge
Another initiative is the annual SMU Challenge, a signature and longest running community service initiative organised by SMU students. Since its inception in 2008, SMU Challenge has consistently involved the entire SMU community of over 2,000 faculty, staff, alumni and students, to contribute to the local community in a meaningful and sustainable manner.
On 8 September 2018, the SMU community and public gathered for the second edition of the SMU Challenge 2018 Finale – Sport-A-Cause. The day’s event saw a range of activities such as games, craft workshops, Hatha Yoga, Fitness Zumba and its signature activity, the Fun Run, offering participants a variety of activities to contribute to a meaningful cause. The funds raised were for the Mountbatten Vocational School (MVS) to upgrade its school facilities and educational programmes.
Said Paulin Straughan, Dean of Students and Professor of Sociology (Practice), “We have enjoyed a close working relationship with Central Singapore CDC over the past few years and I am excited by the plans we are developing with the CDC for 2019. Central Singapore envisions itself as a Do-Good district, which is really in line with our SMU philosophy and vision of being a University for the City. There are many opportunities for staff, faculty and students to partner Central Singapore CDC so I encourage all who are interested to step forward and give your time, effort and ideas.”