May 5, 2026
Huh Dam Adam Arriving in Singapore from Korea as a young student navigating uncertainty, and now a Singapore citizen, Huh Dam Adam found direction through mentorship.
Under the guidance of Dr. David Ong, he developed not only clarity of purpose, but also the confidence to act. He went on to found Stick Em Pte Ltd, represented Singapore on the global stage, and ultimately won the 2025 Hult Prize (USD 1 million)—often regarded as the “Nobel Prize
for students.”
Today, Adam returns to SMC not as a participant, but as a contributor— serving as a speaker and member of the Future Youth Leader Committee.
His journey reflects the essence of SMC’s philosophy: mentorship, when compounded, becomes leadership—and leadership, in turn, empowers others to move from being impacted to creating impact.
Knowing About Adam
Hi, I’m Adam. I’m a fresh graduate and the co-founder of Stick ’Em, an ed-tech startup focused on making STEAM education more hands-on and accessible. I joined SMC as a student volunteer because I was curious about what leadership actually looks like outside the classroom. Not the textbook version, but the messy, real version. Being part of the Youth Leadership Committee has been one of the more grounding experiences I’ve had alongside building my own thing.
What motivated you to join the SMC as a student volunteer?
Honestly, I wasn’t sure what I was signing up for. I’d heard about SMC through friends who’d been involved, and what got me was that it wasn’t just another committee where you sit in meetings and nod. There was real exposure to people who’d actually built things: careers, businesses, impact. I was at a point where I wanted to be around people who could show me what I didn’t know yet, and SMC felt like the right place for that.
How has your perception of yourself changed since becoming part of
SMC?
Before SMC, I think I operated a lot on instinct. I’d do things because they felt right, but I couldn’t always articulate why. Being in SMC forced me to be more intentional about how I communicate, how I show up in a room, and how I handle disagreement. I went from being someone who just had ideas to someone who could actually hold space for other people’s ideas too. That shift was subtle but it changed how I carry myself in pretty much every setting now.
Can you share a moment in SMC that significantly shaped your
confidence or mindset?
There was an event where I had to present in front of a group that included senior professionals, and people with decades of experience. I remember being nervous, not because of the speaking itself, but because I kept thinking “who am I to be up here?” But after I spoke, a few of them came up to me and engaged with what I’d said like it genuinely mattered. That was the moment I realised that your age or your title doesn’t determine whether your perspective has value. It sounds obvious, but feeling it firsthand is completely different from hearing it.
What is one skill or insight you gained through SMC that you wouldn’thave learned in a classroom?
Understanding what human potential really is. That’s not something youget from a textbook. In a classroom, you learn theories about leadershipand growth. But in SMC, you’re surrounded by mentors who’ve actuallylived it, people who’ve pushed past limits you didn’t even know existed.Every time I come for one of these hikes, I walk away feeling genuinelyinspired by what people are capable of. You hear someone’s story, or youwatch how they carry themselves through challenges, and it recalibratesyour sense of what’s possible not just for them, but for yourself. Thatshift in perspective is something no lecture or exam can give you.
How has working with mentors or senior professionals through SMCinfluenced your growth or decision-making?
It’s made me less afraid of being wrong. Before SMC, I’d avoid askingquestions if I thought they’d make me look inexperienced. But thementors I’ve worked with here don’t operate like that, they actuallyrespect the question more than the pretence of knowing. One mentor inparticular changed how I think about decision-making. They told mesomething along the lines of: “You don’t need to have the perfectanswer. You need to have the courage to make a call and adjust.” Thatstuck with me and I use it all the time now, especially in my own startup.
What was the most challenging part of your journey in SMC, and howdid you overcome it?
Balancing SMC with everything else. I’m running a startup, studying, andtrying to have some semblance of a personal life. There were stretcheswhere I felt like I was giving 60% to everything and 100% to nothing. Ididn’t overcome it in some neat, tidy way. I just got better at beinghonest about my capacity — saying no when I needed to, asking for helpwhen I should have, and accepting that not everything has to be perfectfor it to still be meaningful.
Has your experience in SMC influenced your career aspirations orfuture plans? In what way?
Definitely. SMC showed me what leadership looks like across differentindustries and contexts. Before, I had a fairly narrow view of what“success” meant. Now I see it as something much more personal. Mycareer aspirations haven’t changed drastically, I still want to build things that matter, but the way I think about how to get there has evolved. I’m more open to non-linear paths, and more comfortable with the idea that the plan will change.
If you could give advice to your pre-SMC self, what would you say?
Stop trying to have everything figured out before you start. You’re going to learn more from being in the room than from preparing for it. And talk to the people who intimidate you they’re usually the ones who’ll teach you the most.
What would you say to a student who is considering joining SMC but isn’t sure yet?
If you’re not sure, that’s actually a good sign. It means you’re taking it seriously. The students who get the most out of SMC aren’t the ones who walked in already confident, they’re the ones who were a bit unsure but showed up anyway. You don’t need to know what you want from it on day one. Just come in curious and willing to be uncomfortable. The rest figures itself out.
Written by Huh Dam Adam
About SMC Youth Leadership Track
Operating as a student-led, mentor-supported organisation on a fullyvolunteer basis, SMC is actively run and operated by students, who takeownership of programme execution, community initiatives, and day-today operations under mentor guidance.
The SMC Youth Leadership Track is a structured programme designed to develop globally ready, values-anchored youth leaders in preparation for Singapore’s next phase of development (SG100).
The programme follows a three-tier progression pathway—Student Volunteer, Student Leader, and Youth Leadership Committee— enabling youth to grow from contributors into leaders and mentors within SMC’s ecosystem.
Interested in joining SMC as a student volunteer? Send your resume to smccareers8@gmail.com