SMU–SMC Global Ready Mentorship Program Marks Completion of Latest Cohort
The SMU–SMC Global Ready Mentorship Programme (GRMP) Appreciation Night marked the close of another meaningful six-month journey, bringing together mentors, mentees, and the SMC Youth Leadership Committee to celebrate growth, reflection, and shared commitment.
Over the past six months, GRMP has demonstrated its core purpose: not as a networking platform, but as a structured mentorship ecosystem where academic learning meets lived experience. Through sustained dialogue and authentic exchange, students and leaders build clarity, confidence, and the capabilities required to navigate real-world transitions.
This cohort reaffirmed three defining principles:
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Cross-generational dialogue is a leadership advantage
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Clarity is built through honest, grounded exchange
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Mentorship is a full circle — developing both mentees and mentors
The evening featured reflections from mentors including Esther Koh, Senior Vice President at DBS Bank and Founder of The True Arch, and Irene Lee, a transformational business leader in global technology firms. Both shared deeply personal journeys on mentorship, leadership, and the responsibility of shaping future generations.
As Esther reflected:
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“Mentorship isn’t just about giving — it is a shared investment in the future.”
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She further highlighted that GRMP creates a rare space where “academic theory meets real-world wisdom,” enabling young people to build clarity through honest conversations, while also re-energising mentors in their own leadership journeys.
A particularly moving moment came from the intergenerational dialogue between Professor Puay Guan Goh of the National University of Singapore and Youth Advisor to SMC, and his son, Joshua Goh, a student at National Junior College — a powerful reflection of mentorship within a family.
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Joshua’s journey — from being encouraged to join, to stepping forward on his own initiative, evolving from mentee to student volunteer, and now a builder of youth platforms — reflects the transformative power of sustained mentorship. Their story illustrates how mentorship extends beyond programmes into families, reinforcing values of care, responsibility, and parenetal love.
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The evening concluded with remarks from Dr David Ong, Founder of the Singapore Mentorship Committee (SMC), reflecting on five years of progress and setting the direction for the next phase of growth. Building on this foundation, in 2026 SMC will focus on strengthening four core pillars: the Youth Hiking Library, the Global Ready Mentorship Programme (GRMP), the Becoming Global Ready Symposium and publication, and the expansion of cross-sector corporate partnerships. At the same time, SMC will scale its model internationally, extending its Global Integrated Talent Ecosystem beyond Singapore.
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As the organisation evolves to its next stage, Dr Ong emphasised a critical shift: SMC is not only built for the community, but by the community. He called on students, mentors, and partners to take on more active roles — contributing not just as participants, but as co-builders of the ecosystem.
At SMC, mentorship is not an event. It is an ecosystem. One that brings together leaders, families, and youth — not only to grow individuals, but to strengthen the collective future of Singapore and beyond.
Media Contact:
Singapore Mentorship Committee (SMC)
Email: singaporementorshipcommittee@gmail.com
Website: https://www.smcmentorship.org/