New Year Donor Appreciation 2025

On 5 February, donors and students gathered for an afternoon of connection and gratitude at SUTD. The afternoon began with a short networking segment where donors caught up with their student beneficiaries on the past year.

The ceremony then begun with an opening performance by SUTD’s resident Chamber Ensemble. The string quintet ravished the audience with repertoire by Cacavas and Dvorak, setting the stage for SUTD President Professor Phoon Kok Kwang to deliver his message.

Professor Phoon addressed the donors for the first time as President of SUTD and spoke on student achievements, running the gamut from winning dance battles to sustainability projects and start-ups. He presented SUTD’s plan to be the first Design AI university in the world, where artificial intelligence will be infused in all parts of the curriculum, ensuring that graduates are ahead of the curve and well-adapted to a world with AI. Professor Phoon also delightedly shared the progress of 42 Singapore students, where several of them completed the core curriculum ahead of time, marking their grit and prowess in programming. In closing, he appealed to the audience to keep their eyes peeled on the achievements of SUTD students, promising that they would bear testimony to the efficacy of donors’ support.

The Donor Impact Video was screened, featuring students Boon Kai and Zi Hui who showcased their proudest achievements at SUTD. Boon Kai, currently a junior in Engineering Systems and Design (ESD), co-founded a nutrition start-up, Smoodee, which tackles food waste in Singapore and nutritional deficits in the working population. This is done by freeze-drying surplus fruits and vegetables into powder that can be made into instant smoothies.

On the other hand, Zi Hui, a senior in Design and Artificial Intelligence (DAI), was part of a team that designed the Ninjector, a hand-held self-injection gun that improves patient experience by keeping injections organised and eliminating the need for technique. As recipients of a scholarship and various bursaries respectively, both students paid tribute to their donors, acknowledging their donors’ moral and financial support as key drivers of their success.

The tokens of appreciation that were presented further illustrated the donors’ impact on student beneficiaries. They were designed to light up, symbolising how donors light up the paths of their student beneficiaries with their support, and the Celtic knot points to the unbroken cycle of giving that happens at SUTD, as well as the Year of the Snake. Meaningfully, these tokens were designed and made by SUTD students using the facilities of SUTD’s Fabrication Laboratory.

The Chinese Orchestra closed off the ceremony with a delicate piece by local composer Joshua Chan. This was followed by another round of networking, where donors were welcomed with a booth for Smoodee tasting.

Once again, the University thanks all donors for being a beacon of light to SUTD students through their support of education.