[19 July 2004]
Singapore Management University freshmen begin orientation with community service

SMU is committed to nurturing graduates with a heart

As part of Singapore Management University’s (SMU) mission to produce business leaders and creative entrepreneurs who will excel in today’s dynamic economy, it is the university’s goal to nurture graduates with a sense of responsibility and commitment to society.

In line with this goal, Office of Career Services will for the first time, launch three community service projects at this year’s orientation and invite university freshmen to begin the academic year with community service. The three projects were conceived to inculcate greater appreciation for education and training among the projects’ beneficiaries. SMU freshmen will be leading projects at Child Street 11- a non-profit organisation dedicated to helping low income and dysfunctional families provide quality early years education for their children, Planet Crush- an organisation that aims to mentor secondary schools students about Internet safety and responsibility, and Very Special Arts Singapore, a charity launched to provide people with disabilities with opportunities to access the arts. All students at SMU have to fulfil 80 hours of community services as part of the academic requirement.

“At SMU, we recognise the importance of preparing our students to be responsible citizens, demonstrating leadership and integrity within the communities they live and work. In developing them as well-rounded individuals, we motivate our students to give back to society through a variety of ongoing community service opportunities. We want to see them develop as 'Professionals with a Heart', who excel both locally and overseas,” said Ms Ruth Chiang, Director of Career Services.

Friends of VSA Project is a collaboration with Very Special Arts (VSA) Singapore to produce crafts such as photo frames, notebooks, files and bookmarks from recycled denim as a means of raising funds to support employment training programmes for people with special disabilities. SMU volunteers will also assist in marketing these products at Wisma Atria in August.

The Making Cents Project is a collaboration with Child at Street 11 to inculcate the good habit of saving money among young children so that they learn the need to save, prioritize spending and investing in education. SMU volunteers, taking on the responsibility of mentors, will be partnering 35 children through this exercise to make savings-banks out of recycled materials and to produce other crafts to raise funds for 15 children who will be entering Primary One next year.

Project CRuSH is an e-mentoring programme in partnership with Touch Youth Services, where SMU volunteers act as cyber counsellors to promote cyber-wellness among youths by educating them on the benefits, risks and dangers of the Internet through the Planet Crush forum, and imparting core values of responsibility, respect, astuteness, and balance.