On 15th June 2016, the SMU alumni café - Tonic X was bustling with excitement and enthusiasm as over 120 alumni and students attended the SMU Interaction Night for Freshmen Teambuilding (FTB) Camp Facilitators. Through the passionate chatter and laughter that filled the air, these past and present FTB facilitators displayed the strong camaraderie and firm friendship that they have built over the years having gone through the various camps together.
Emcee for the evening, SMU’s Office of Alumni Relations (OAR) Senior Manager Valerie Koh welcomed the crowd and engaged them in some fun and games. The alumni were zealous in showcasing the true FTB spirit as they rounded up their friends and encouraged one another through group cheers and chants.
OAR Director Associate Professor Low Aik Meng addressed the lively and vivacious group and encouraged them to return to their alma mater often to reconnect and be kept updated with the University’s developments. The fundamental belief, that bonds forged during student experiences in SMU are enduring, form the basis of the SMU Interaction Night series. This series was designed to facilitate meaningful interactions through a platform of collegial sharing while featuring different themes.
SMU Alumni Association (SMUAA) Executive Committee Member Ford Lai (BBM, 2007) shared the myriad ways in which alumni can stay connected and contribute back to SMU. Through alumni groups, overseas chapters, joining the SMUAA or serving in the different committees, alumni can rekindle old friendships, build new bonds and connect with the fast-growing community of SMU alumni, locally and around the world.
A collection of photos from the various FTB Camp experiences over the years were presented in a slideshow with the song “The Nights” by Avicii playing in the background. As the images flashed before them, our alumni and students sang along as they reminisced the good old days of organising camps and leading freshmen in games and activities.
The alumni were updated with the change in naming convention – the Freshmen Teambuilding (FTB) Experience will be renamed to Freshmen Orientation Camp (FOC). To round off the night, former FTB Organising Committee Member alumnus Avnish Desai (BBM, 2011), and FOC 2016 Chairperson, LKCSB undergraduate Lee Guan Jie took turns to address the audience. Avnish was delighted to see familiar faces amongst the crowd and shared with everyone on his past FTB experiences. Guan Jie thanked alumni for their advice and support to the current organising committee. He also invited everyone present to join in the upcoming camps for the 2016 freshmen.
For more photos from the event, click here. You can also view the video slideshow of the FTB Camp Experiences over the years here.