A cheerful Halcyon stands on stage, holding a microphone, engaging the audience with enthusiasm and energy, positioned before a sign that reads "I love Yale-NUS College."A performance keyboard positioned before a sign that reads "I love Yale-NUS College."

Celebrating Yale-NUS

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Over a 12-year period from June 2013 to May 2025, nine cohorts of students—known as the Kingfishers—undertook the Yale-NUS educational journey. For many, this was a life-changing experience, one that inspired them to pursue new goals, enabled them to achieve undreamt-of successes or encouraged them to contribute to their community and the wider world.

What Was Yale-NUS?

Yale-NUS was where students received a truly world-class education. Over 1700 students graduated from the College, with many of them going on to lead successful and impactful lives, rising to challenges and becoming leaders, whether in the world of employment, further education or working to build a better society.

Yale-NUS graduates fills a large room, decorated with an array of blue and orange balloons, enhancing the celebratory mood.

The students that have gone through the Yale-NUS education, they have been transformed.

Senior Lecturer & Deputy Director of Language Studies, Dr Eduardo Lage-Otero on the quality of the education offered at Yale-NUS.

Eduardo Lage Otero with glasses and a beard, smiles warmly, showcasing a friendly demeanour.

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Yale-NUS graduates fills a large room, decorated with an array of blue and orange balloons, enhancing the celebratory mood.
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What was Yale-NUS? The College offered an education like no other, it was a place where students could learn, grow and prepare for their future lives.

Who Were the Kingfishers?

Although there was no such thing as a typical or ideal Yale-NUS student, there were some common traits that could be identified. Here, members of the College community describe some of their impressions of Yale-NUS students.

Khoo Hoon Eng stands in front of a staircase, exuding grace and strength in her posture.

Competitive, intense, talented

Khoo Hoon Eng, Associate Professor of Science (Life Sciences)

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Lindsay Allen, wearing glasses, stands next to a poster, highlighting her presence and interest in the displayed content.

Academic, motivated, analytical

Lindsay T Allen, Senior Associate Director (International Programmes)

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Hazeem Bin Abdul Nasser, in a blue shirt and glasses, displays a cheerful smile in this image.

Curious, passionate, dedicated

Nur Hazeem Abdul Nasser (Class of 2022)

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Dave Stanfied, wearing a blue shirt, smiles cheerfully against a backdrop of vibrant plants.

Inquisitive, thoughtful, personable

Dave Stanfield, Dean of Students

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Ronald Milne in a white shirt and purple tie stands confidently in front of a vibrant green lawn.

Bright, confident, ambitious

Ronald Milne, Dean of Educational Resources & Technology

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Preserving the Legacy of Yale-NUS

Following the announcement of the closure of the College in August 2021, a series of Legacy projects were initiated to preserve the history and celebrate the achievements of Yale-NUS.

The whole community became involved, with students, alumni, faculty and staff contributing their stories and memories as well as photographs, videos and other materials. Many also gave their time, joining committees to guide and advise the project teams.

The unveiling of the new Yale-NUS College Hall sign on stage, featuring Zhong Xuan Khwa, President of Yale University Peter Salovey, Chair of Yale-NUS College Governing Board Mdm Kay Kuok, and President of Yale-NUS College Joanne Roberts, gathered together for the ceremony.

The projects included a digital archive, oral history project and this website featuring a series of stories about the College, a virtual tour of the campus and a timeline of major events. Other major undertakings included a permanent exhibition, commemorative book and sculpture, all completed in the College’s final three years.

The College is going to leave our mark on Singapore, that this was a transformative institution with inspiring change-making students and alumni. They will have a legacy that long outlives the name chipped in granite by the side of the road.

— Joanne Roberts, Executive Vice-President of Academic Affairs, and the final President of Yale-NUS.

The unveiling of the new Yale-NUS College Hall sign on stage, featuring Zhong Xuan Khwa, President of Yale University Peter Salovey, Chair of Yale-NUS College Governing Board Mdm Kay Kuok, and President of Yale-NUS College Joanne Roberts, gathered together for the ceremony.

The College commissioned a sculpture to be permanently positioned on the Campus Green slope overlooking the Biofiltration Pond (commonly known as the Eco-pond).

A number of designs were proposed, and after careful consideration a design entitled Mater by Singapore-based artist Grace Tan was selected.

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Artist Grace Tan describes her work and the process of creating her sculpture Mater.

This permanent exhibition was mounted along a corridor near to the Yale-NUS College Hall (formerly the Performance Hall) to remind future visitors to the campus that it was once the home of Yale-NUS.

The exhibition consists of six panels, each describing a different aspect of the College through text, photographs and graphics. At the far end, the Founding Benefactors Wall lists the names of the individuals, families and organisations that generously provided donations to help with the establishment of the College.

Mounted alongside the wall are the College’s Ceremonial Mace, a painting by NUS President Tan Chorh Chuan and a sculpture of Nathan Hale. The painting and sculpture were presented to the College by NUS and Yale respectively at the inauguration of the campus in 2015.

The exhibition was curated by College staff with input from Linda Lorimer (Yale Vice President (1994–2013), Senior Advisor to the President (2013–16) and Yale-NUS Governing Board member throughout the history of the College). American firm Spagnola & Associates designed the exhibition, under the personal direction of the firm’s Principal Tony Spagnola. Based in New Haven, the firm has worked extensively with Yale University who also provided funding for the exhibition.

The Cendana College dining hall building featured in "The First and Last Book," presented with a nostalgic filter that evokes a sense of warmth and reflection.

Why Did We Love
Yale-NUS?

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Students, faculty and staff explain the many and varied reasons why they loved Yale-NUS.

Khwa Zhong Xuan in glasses and a blue shirt stands in front of Yale-NUS Library, showcasing a professional demeanour.

“It’s incredibly difficult for me to picture myself happier in any other place.”

Khwa Zhong Xuan (Class of 2020)

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Phoebe Mak Rui Teng embraces a stuffed animal, highlighting a warm and affectionate connection in her gesture.

“I’ve learned so much from the people here, and I’ve grown so much.”

Mak Rui Teng, Phoebe (Class of 2022)

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Annette Wu is seated on a bench with a building in the background, creating a serene atmosphere.

“I think it’s unique, there’s nothing else like it and there will never be anything else like it.”

Annette Wu (Class of 2017)

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Ivan Lin smiles at the camera while wearing headphones, exuding a cheerful and engaging demeanour.

“It was just nice and calm and in a space where we were holding for each other.”

Ivan Lulong LIN (Class of 2022)

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May Lee (Class of 2025) expressed her feelings about the College in a poem.

To My Alma Mater

The unchanging seasons feel like a pause in time.
Motivated by the momentum and flow,
Sustained youth, and never-ending growth,
I fear not to dare.

Inspired, instilled, I roam the less frequented,
We traverse back in time, the past, revisited.
We muse and imagine, mindfully,
Bringing forth what could be and what ought to be.

The days and nights blur into one,
Would this be yours, or could that be mine?
The time I borrowed is a favor returned,
A friendship is born, and life is adorned.

Saga seeds, Cendana leaves, Elm-mighty trees,
Here is a story about you and me.
A special place to be, a legacy lived vicariously,
I became the person I wanted to be:

You taught me
Not to be afraid, to
Challenge, and to be brave.

Read More about To My Alma Mater
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