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Charting her own route

PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG

WHEN Ms Seraphina Kuah turned down an offer to study medicine at a university in the United Kingdom, her parents were shocked.

The 25-year-old opted for an Overseas Merit Scholarship from the Public Service Commission, and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics at Cornell University in the United States.

Now a policy analyst with the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), she says: "At that time, it was really easy to succumb to pressure from society and obviously being a doctor was a safe path – it was a prestigious occupation and you could earn a lot of money."

"But I knew I wasn't being true to myself. My passion was not in medicine. I found out more about the university system in America and I was drawn to the diverse nature of the curriculum it provided."

"I could stretch myself and explore a whole range of subjects, so that at the end of the day, I could pinpoint what I was going to do. I liked learning new things and it seemed a perfect fit. I had a blast doing it!"

During her three years at university, she engaged in a variety of experiences, whether related to learning indoors or outdoors. She took subjects such as Greek mythology, French and Spanish.

The former Raffles Junior College softball team player also took up taekwondo, taiji quan, thai-boxing and downhill skiing. She also edited the school's economics journal, went on community service trips overseas, helping to build homes in Nicaragua and teaching English in Vietnam.

Ms Kuah then spent a more "focused and intensive" year in the UK in 2006 for a Master of Science in Economics for Development.

She cherishes friendships formed with many international students and is still in touch with one of her seven foreign housemates from Zambia.

Under her scholarship requirements, Miss Kuah underwent an attachment at the MOM and also did a course on public governance.

She started work at MOM in 2007 as part of her six-year bond, and attended a two-month programme detailing policies and civil service work.

She says: "They were very helpful courses for me. If not, I would have been lost in the deep end of the ocean. It is very hard to function on your own in your ministry. You need to know how your part fits into the larger puzzle."

Her current portfolio focuses on policies for older workers including their job options after retirement.

Ms Kuah says she finds meaning in helping to formulate policies that could affect a larger Singaporean population. But her role is not without challenges, she admits.

"When I first started out as an analyst, the challenge was to shape my thinking into a 'policy-making' frame of mind. I needed to understand that what was right was not necessarily popular, and I needed to remember what were really the core principles and objectives."

Still, she is unfazed. She says: "I don't like things that are monotonous. I like things that are dynamic. I like challenges, so bring them on!"