Early Beginnings
It wasn’t too long ago that NJGradNet was nothing more than an idea on the page of a notebook. Before it was conceived, back in 2018, the three of us were already 1-2 years into university and back in Singapore for work commitments. We knew each other from our many interactions both in and after NJC, which is interesting given that we were from different batches, went to different programs, and embarked on different career paths. There were overlaps of course, and perhaps therein lay the space in which NJGradNet could grow. NJGradNet’s origin story, therefore, differs depending on who you ask.
For Lionel and Nicole, it all began in the unlikeliest of places -- a small office cubicle in the corner of MINDEF, where we were serving out our attachments to the Air Force for our summer breaks. We were both fortunate that our experiences in school were enjoyable, but after graduating, we were acutely aware that other NJC students weren’t always afforded the same amount of opportunities. Becoming alumni also gave us a new perspective towards the importance of a strong community spirit, which was needed to undergird any attempts at increasing the level of support NJC students could access during and after JC. These weren’t new problems, but how could we help in our own capacities to overcome them?
A serendipitous encounter with a fellow colleague from SJI, who overheard our conversations, introduced us to an alumni-driven platform he started for the purposes of improving access to alumni. It was a simple product at the time, created with the best of intentions to leverage alumni as a resource -- missing any fancy bells or whistles, it did the job regardless (curiously, we tried finding it again while writing this, but we were unsuccessful). We took that as a reference point, and then drafted up our own ideas, modifying them to suit NJC.
In traditional military fashion, the initial proposal was titled Project GRANET but till today we aren’t completely sure why we took out the “D”. Lionel will tell you it’s because GRANET sounds like granite, a reference to Bukit Timah since that was what it was known for (along with tin). Cool? Not really lah, quite lame right.
For Bryan, his involvement originated from an equally unlikely place -- the hockey pitch. Lionel and Bryan were both teammates during time in school. Upon graduation, the Hockey alumni continue to meet annually for games, to connect with the new generation of players while getting the exercise we oldies lacked. Interestingly though, we seemed to talk and catch up more than actually play on the pitch. Lionel pitched the idea to Bryan then, and the team was now three (get the pun?).
Where we are headed
Now 2 years in, NJGradNet has gone through multiple iterations, changing websites a few times and expanding beyond its initial structure. The current version seems to be the stabilized result, and will probably remain in the same form for quite a while. We’re certainly heartened by the number of alumni who have signed up and all the NJCians who have used the platform, and we’re glad that it has been helpful in levelling the playing field. Moving forward, we have plans to work more closely with the school, establish a Singapore chapter, publish more university resource documents, and build a tighter community between students and alumni.
We’re also incredibly happy to welcome our newer members onboard the core team. The three of us are getting old (and somewhat jaded), but Yee Lin and Ying Xuan bring with them a bunch of exciting ideas that we hope will make NJGradNet more relatable and approachable as a platform. Apart from being extremely competent and driven, they also bring with them a youthful energy that would undoubtedly be good for us old foggies too. Among other things, stay tuned for a greater social media presence, and our debut on “Tellonym” once they teach us exactly what this is (don’t worry, we’re still very much part of the Instagram generation). We are certain our young minds will bring to the table fresh ideas and insights that will prove essential in ensuring the sustainability and progression of NJGradNet.
Previously, the team published two sets of documents: one on general university admissions and another COVID-specific guide. Now, with a wider network of NJGradNet affiliates, we can do more.
That is why we have decided to start a blog. Through this blog, we hope to provide an avenue for NJGradNet affiliates to share their views, ideas, and advice for other NJC graduates. This blog is one of the ways that we’re trying to make NJGradNet more accessible and relevant for all NJCians. It will create opportunities for in-depth coverage of specific topics and function as a platform for fellow alumni to share their own experiences and stories. So, look forward to this space as we have a couple of posts already in the pipeline, waiting to be published!
(P.S To the Alumni: We welcome any submissions, ideas and writings you wish to share! :) )
NJGradNet has come quite a long way since its genesis. And it would not have been possible without the support of both the Alumni and fellow NJCians. Thank you very much for contributing in your own capacities to making the NJC community a stronger family, and for paying it forward to support future NJCians in their own endeavours. Take care!
-Lionel, Nicole, Bryan