It was a jubilant and memorable occasion for the NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health (SSHSPH) Class of 2015 as they marked a significant milestone in both their lives and public health journeys at the SSHSPH Commencement Ceremony on 12 July 2015.
Held at the University Cultural Centre, this year the School saw 33 Master of Public Health (MPH), Master of Science (MSc) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) graduates. Jointly hosted with the Faculty of Dentistry with participation from the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine graduate programme, the graduating class received their degrees from Presiding Officer Mdm Kay Kuok, a member of the NUS Board of Trustees.
The Guest of Honour for the ceremony was Associate Professor Benjamin Ong, Director of Medical Services (DMS) at the Ministry of Health, who shared with the graduates three keywords on future proofing our healthcare system: prevention,integration and innovation. He highlighted the importance of prevention in healthcare, that “even as we strive to achieve the best treatment outcomes for our patients, we must realise that the ideal option remains that of prevention and maintenance of health”.
After the presentation of degrees, Dr Shilpa Tyagi, Class Valedictorian from the Master of Public Health programme took to the stage to say a few words on behalf of the graduating class. She congratulated her classmates on the culmination of a journey they had all embarked on together, and thanked her professors for their dedication and mentorship, ending with a message for her fellow public health professionals working in prevention and health promotion: “The trees that are slow to grow bear the best fruit.”
SSHSPH AlumNite 2015
On 10 July 2015, the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health held its SSHSPH AlumNite 2015 at the Multipurpose Hall, Tahir Foundation Building. It was an evening of good food and lively conversations all round as faculty, graduating students, alumni across all batches and their families gathered together to mingle and reminisce about their lives and shared journeys in public health.
With the theme of “Those Were The Days…”, guests were treated to a montage of photos from the good old days of the School, dating back from 1959 when it was the Department of Social Medicine and Public Health, to the present batch of graduands.
Dean Professor Chia Kee Seng addressed the room and introduced Professor Lee Hin Peng, who spoke on “The CPD Agenda”, encouraging the graduating class to seek excellence in their work, lead a personally fulfilling life and maintain an interest in society and its wider issues.
Guests were also treated to humourous caricatures by artists, who delighted grown ups and young ones alike with comical self portraits.
To cap off the joyous evening, the prize recipients of the Dean’s List, Richard Gillis Prize, Occupational and Environmental Health Society Medal, Tye Cho Yook Medal, Dean’s Medal and NUSS Medal for Outstanding Achievement received their awards for their outstanding achievements.
