Celebrating the Impact of Community Giving
Our community came together at the annual Donor Celebration Event to celebrate the opportunities and experiences made possible through philanthropy at UWCSEA.
On Wednesday, 29 April, more than 100 donors, supporters, alumni, educators and students gathered at HortPark for the annual Donor Celebration Event hosted by the UWCSEA Foundation. One of the Foundation’s most important events of the year, the evening celebrated the generosity of the UWCSEA community and the impact that philanthropy continues to have across the College
Throughout the event, conversations and connections between students and supporters formed the heart of the evening.
Many donors were able to explore how philanthropy opens doors to a UWC education, creating opportunities for hands-on learning, collaboration, and action beyond the classroom.
They heard directly from students and educators about the programmes, initiatives and experiences their support helps make possible across scholarships, sustainability, innovation and entrepreneurship.
A series of experiential booths from Innovation@East, the Dover Campus IDEAS Hub, Sustainability teams across both campuses, and the UWCSEA Dover at Tengah development team showcased the impressive products and ideas that students have developed.
Among the featured showcases was the “Green Dragon,” the first Singaporean EViE (Electric Vehicles in Education) car, built entirely from scratch by UWCSEA East students.
Many hands-on experiences were on offer, and guests could see, touch and feel, and learn about the robots, AI tools, recycled 3D printed waste materials, composts, plant and upcycled products, biodiversity projects, and the Forest School programme. School staff also presented a visual showcase of the future UWCSEA Dover at Tengah.
These student-led experiences demonstrated the tangible impact of donor support and how giving helps students develop confidence, creativity and purpose through authentic learning experiences.
A highlight of the evening was the student panel featuring
Emmanuel, Nitya and Kiah.
Moderated by Holman Chin, Chief Advancement Officer at UWCSEA, the discussion focused on their journeys and how community-funded programmes have shaped their lives and learning.
They spoke about the challenges they overcame, the opportunities they embraced, and the aspirations they continue to pursue through their experiences at UWCSEA.
Emmanuel
Grade 11 scholar from Burkina Faso
Emmanuel shared his journey from Burkina Faso to UWCSEA and his experiences living and learning in boarding alongside peers from around the world.
"Community is when people who don't know each other come together, live together, and support each other."
While Nitya described how her team collaborated to tackle the issue of food waste through the Socially Sustainable Entrepreneurship Programme (SSEP), Kiah looked back on her involvement in sustainability initiatives like Solar for East and how her passion for change continues to shape her aspirations.
Nitya
Grade 10 Student
"Working on our prototype sparked a deep interest in how sustainability and innovation can work together to solve real problems."
Kiah
Grade 12 Student
"I have been involved in Sustainability since Middle School, and I am so excited to contribute to the school in ways I couldn’t as a student, during my Gap Year."
Reflecting on the evening, Seema Desai, High School Principal at Dover Campus and Incoming Head of East Campus, shared:
“What stood out to me during the event was the central role our students played.
It’s a powerful reminder of how donors’ generosity translates into opportunity.”
This year, there was a special shout-out recognising the hard work and commitment of student leaders across the College. Representatives from each team presented briefly how they are taking action for a better world through innovation, sustainability, entrepreneurship and service.
Yi Ning
Grade 6, UWCSEA Dover
IDEAS Hub
Ethan
Grade 11, UWCSEA Dover
SSEP
Gabby
Grade 9, UWCSEA East
Innovation@East
Videep
Grade 11, UWCSEA East
Environmental Sustainability
Hans
Grade 6, UWCSEA Dover
Environmental Sustainability
As the formal programme concluded, guests continued conversations over cocktails and networking, reconnecting with old friends and building new relationships across the UWCSEA community.
"Happy to see the improvement of the event! We will continue to contribute to the community."
- Max Chen -
"The donor celebration is one of our favourite UWCSEA events, so inspiring to meet the scholars, hear their stories and catch up with other parents and teachers in the community. Even though our boys have moved on from the school it is wonderful to retain this connection as parent alumni. Thanks again for a lovely evening and for the great work that you do!"
- Ian Bellhouse and Eleanor Great -
"Positive change at UWCSEA doesn’t happen accidentally. It happens because people choose to support something larger than themselves. To all members of our community who contribute to the life of the College in ways large and small — thank you."
- Damian Bacchoo -
Thank you to everyone who joined us! Your support makes opportunities possible, enabling students to experience an education that truly shapes their futures.
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