Discovering her passion and purpose

Angelica ANG, a fresh graduate who read Double Majors in Life Sciences and Public Health, believes that the interplay between disciplines can lead to the discovery of new knowledge.

In Life Sciences, she gained knowledge about the ‘micro’, involving cells and microorganisms, while her Public Health classes gave her exposure to the ‘macro’, such as how social factors like education and culture, as well as health systems and policies, may have trickle-down effects on an individual’s health outcomes. She also took up an eclectic variety of courses, such as one on discourse, citizenship, and society offered by the Centre for English Language Communications.

Collectively, her knowledge from these diverse subjects allows her to meld together varying ways of understanding the world. She says, “The freedom to map out my own academic trajectory allowed me to attain an education which transcends the boundaries of my specialisation.”  

Angelica is also an advocate of hands-on learning. She therefore sought to take her learning beyond the classroom and carefully curated her journey to make the most of experiential learning.

For instance, a Student Exchange Programme (SEP) at the University of British Columbia (UBC), Canada did not only widen her intellectual and cultural horizons. It was an opportunity to discover herself and her interests. 

She read courses from different faculties in UBC, covering wide-ranging topics from writing creative non-fiction to the foundations of conservation where she learned about environmental conservation in North America, and how it is inextricably tied to the lives of those inhabiting the land. Yet another course on the ocean’s ecosystem was an “eye opening” opportunity to explore intertidal beach areas and observe species found in temperate climates. Her SEP also led her to fall in love with skiing.

Her living-learning experience at the College of Alice and Peter Tan (CAPT) gave her exposure to an interdisciplinary curriculum covering a range of intellectual topics centred around the themes of active citizenship and community engagement, which “closely resonated” with her.  She was a regular attendee of Master’s Teas, where CAPT’s faculty and student groups invited guests to share on their areas of expertise – leaving her with “food for thought, and much to ponder and reflect upon.”

Insights from the Master’s Teas led Angelica and her team to create new ways to connect communities during the pandemic. Angelica cites, as a highlight, how they conceptualised and brought to life  LaunchPad, a platform for all CAPTains to have authentic, cozy conversations and a safe space for ground-up, student-led conversations.

It was a “transformative experience”, Angelica says, to reach out to, and engage various marginalised communities in Singapore, such as migrant workers, visually impaired individuals, and socially disadvantaged youth. “It was a valuable opportunity to speak with, and befriend people from all pockets of Singaporean life,” and to apply her knowledge to address issues that are important to society.    

She says, “Every issue and phenomenon can be interpreted through various lenses -scientific, philosophical, sociological, and many more. An interdisciplinary education engendered in me greater appreciation for, and the ability to relate to others with different ways of thinking.”

She adds, “This opened up a fuller range of possibilities the world has to offer, and served as a guiding compass to discover myself.” 

Angelica is now pursuing a Master of Science in Journalism abroad. She hopes to be a science journalist, to better communicate the scientific knowledge she has gained “for the betterment of society and the common good.”