What have you been doing (for work, for graduate/professional school, or otherwise) since you graduated from LSM? Are you working on anything outside of your current occupation?
As a recipient of an undergraduate scholarship from the Singapore Armed Forces, I have been working as an Army officer since graduation and, am currently at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. During my time with the Singapore Army, I have taken up various leadership positions, including command of an elite infantry company of a hundred professional soldiers. I have also served as a Policy Officer with the Singapore Ministry of Defense (DoD-equivalent), seeking to enhance Singapore’s defense diplomacy efforts and long-term strategic multilateral and bilateral relations.
Besides serving within Singapore’s defense sector, I have also worked as the Assistant Director for Strategic Plans in the Singapore Ministry of Health (HHS-equivalent) during the COVID-19 pandemic, where I was responsible for developing the plans and coordinating the Ministry’s operations in managing COVID-19 as well as Singapore’s vaccination efforts. This involved working with stakeholders from the public and private healthcare industries, grassroots and community organizations, as well as other governmental agencies. My team also had to report regularly to the highest echelon of the Singapore government (the Prime Minister and the Cabinet) regarding COVID-19 operations and the progress of vaccination.
Most recently, I am currently back in the United States attending the United States Marine Corps Command and Staff College in Quantico, VA.
What is the most rewarding part of what you are doing currently?
The most rewarding parts of my work are the leadership opportunities and the ability to tangibly impact the lives of others through public policies and service. As a military leader, I am directly responsible for those under my charge, and am given the privilege to lead large teams at a young age. This involves setting the vision for the team, engendering commitment, and working with my fellow leaders to implement change for the benefit of my organization.
My stint with the Ministry of Health during the pandemic was also extremely rewarding as I felt that I was able to bridge the technical/scientific considerations with operational concerns. Being able to roll out Singapore’s vaccination effort within a short period of time, and seeing the extremely high vaccination rate that the country has achieved was particularly rewarding because it helped the society return to some form of normalcy, and was a critical component for Singapore to overcome the COVID-19 challenge.
Do you think LSM prepared you for life after college? What aspects were most helpful?
While I may not be applying the academic content I learnt in my day-to-day work, I have definitely benefited from my LSM experience. The dual-degree program exposed me to a broader range of issues and topics, and this helped me to develop critical thinking skills relevant to any industry. The ability to integrate across domains and be flexible in assimilating information, which is a feature of the LSM program, helped me to become a more resilient and adaptable individual. Importantly, the capstone program, where interpersonal skills and teamwork were critical, allowed me to hone skills necessary to be an effective leader.
Do you have future plans beyond your current role?
I look forward to serving in various public sector roles in the Singapore military in the near term.