ALUMNI

Diploma in Industrial Design, School of Design (now School of Design & Media), Class of 2012

Caring NYP lecturers helped him find his footing & made a difference in his life

Having lost his parents when young, Vilvum did not know what he wanted to do as a youth – until an unpleasant incident during a part-time stint made him resolve to study harder and better.

So, he enrolled in a design course at the ITE as he enjoyed drawing and designing. He was very adamant to get into a polytechnic, and did well enough to get into our School of Design (now School of Design & Media) – his dream design school.

Vilvum treasured the hands-on training and the school's strong industry connections that allow its students to learn directly from the best in the trade, and to make a direct impact.

Vilvum thanks his lecturers for their solid support: They inspired him to be his best, think out of the box, and push the boundaries of design. His lecturers kept him on their radar as mentors, advisors and friends, and made sure he was okay. His fondest memories include how a lecturer helped him reschedule a crucial final year project presentation during his surgery, so that his grades would not be affected. The lecturer also visited Vilvum at the hospital to encourage and comfort him. With the support of his lecturers and loved ones, Vilvum got placed on the director’s list, and eventually furthered his studies at the National University of Singapore.

Vilvum has come full circle, returning to NYP as a design lecturer in 2015. Having gone through the entire route — ITE, polytechnic, university — he is able to understand his students’ struggles, and empathise. His advice to them always remains: “Failing doesn't mean the end of the world. You need to pick yourself up and believe in yourself. There’s nothing wrong with making mistakes, as that’s how you learn. So, keep on trying and motivating yourself.”

Get the full story here.