ALUMNI | LUMEN
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daily work . How does Wai Hong envision his future ? “ Moving back to this part of the world has presented many opportunities , hence the picture of my holding a car at a crossroads . Yet the guiding principle for me all these years remain the same , to take each step as it comes , and to learn to embrace the journey knowing that how we live our lives is infinitely greater than what we achieve .”
James Khoo ( Class of 2003 )
James , director of Hentak Kaki which won the best ‘ Singapore Short Film ’ award at the 24th Singapore International Film Festival , is still working for Pangolin Films , building his portfolio and breadth of work . Much of his current work involves art documentation . Recently he had to document an installation work based on dry ice . Working in an enclosed environment for a long period of time , including the cold and lack of oxygen ( due to the evaporation of carbon dioxide ) literally left him breathless .
James also completed a short documentary for AWARE ( Association of Women for Action and Research ) on single mothers . This project was meaningful as through the interviews conducted , he gained insight into how these mothers from different backgrounds pulled through their circumstances to raise their children and maintain a family .
There is nothing James would change at this moment . This is despite the fact that there is little support , funding or consumer demand for films that centre on humanity . Thankfully he has found a niche in doing art documentation work . However , James ’ dream of creating meaningful films has not been squashed . James is no longer full of youthful naiveté , waiting for the opportune moment and funding ; instead together with his LASALLE friends , he hopes to shoot a few projects in the coming year . The funding , he realises will have to come out of their own pockets . But when asked what his greatest satisfaction at this juncture of his life is , he unhesitatingly replies , “ My supportive family .”
Agung Santoso Ongko ( Class of 2006 )
Since graduating from Nanyang Technological University in 2013 , Agung , then editor of Nanyang Chronicle , realised that his degree in Communication Studies marked only the beginning of an even more rewarding ride . As a Senior Account Executive at Rice Communications , being outside the classroom has meant combining his passion for writing with a deeper understanding of how the world operates . From learning about premium seafood at a fishery port in Jurong to observing Indonesian beverage consumers in various corners of Jakarta ’ s market , as a Communications Consultant , Agung has had to think strategically on his feet and translate business insights into compelling messages and creative expressions . Here is Agung ’ s advice to Josephians from Secondary 1 to 4 : “ So don ’ t baulk at Situational Essay writing in your English class ; one day , you may very well find yourself paving quite an exciting career out of helping brands and organisations convince , persuade , and engage their stakeholders !”
Kevin Martens Wong Zhi Qiang ( Class of 2008 )
After his outstanding performance in the A levels ( 2010 ), Kevin secured a Ministry of Education Teaching Scholarship and a place in National University of Singapore . His sterling results helped him to think about the whole pursuit of grades in Singapore in a very different way . He was gratified to obtain such grades , but does not want to be defined by them alone , because he believes he is so much more than that – they neither prove nor suggest his ability to do anything other than sit in a controlled environment for a prolonged period of time and answer several structured questions in a relatively rigorous