If you had told me back in my SJI International days – when I was dragging myself through swimming practice, Key Club meetings, and IB deadlines –  that I’d one day be flying helicopters in the Air Force, I would never have believed you. Flying was never the plan. But, with encouragement from my father, and driven by curiosity and a desire to do something more, I decided to take a leap of faith and give it a try during National Service. What began as an experiment quickly became a passion. The dynamism of flight was unlike anything I had ever experienced, and I have had the privilege of serving the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) – a journey I continue today and hope to carry on for many years ahead. Along the way, I’ve also been fortunate to pursue my academic interests in social policy at university, supported by a scholarship that expanded my horizons beyond the cockpit.

My time at SJI International shaped my early understanding of leadership in important ways. Leadership here was never just about holding ranks or appointments, but about serving others – whether through Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) programmes or simply showing up for classmates. That mindset carried over into the Air Force, where leadership is ultimately about service to my compatriots and to the nation.

During flying training, I vividly remember struggling with landings before my first solo flight, while also being entrusted with leading a course of 20 during my Basic Wings Course in Australia. At times it felt overwhelming, yet I found myself drawing on lessons I had first learned at SJI International. Challenge Week in Grade 11, when we went to Laos to teach English, taught me how to adapt under pressure, while National Youth Achievement Award (NYAA) camping trips instilled the discipline to keep going when things got tough. Those experiences gave me the resilience to cope not only with the demands of flying but also with the responsibility of leading others.

This September, I will begin a master’s degree in Human Development and Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. My decision stems from a wish to better understand how learning and training systems evolve. In the RSAF, continuous training is essential to maintaining round-the-clock readiness and the defence of our skies, and I want to explore how systems can be designed to better prepare soldiers of the future. Harvard’s programme offers both theory and practical tools – from understanding how people learn and adapt, to designing environments that foster resilience and critical thinking. These are skills I hope to bring back into the military context, where training must continually evolve to meet new operational demands. I also hope to learn from Singapore’s ongoing Ministry of Education reforms, and see how lessons from schools can be adapted to improve training systems for the SAF.

For me, the SJI International motto, “Enter to Learn, Leave to Serve”, reflects a simple commitment: to take what I learn and put it back into practice. My aim is to return with insights that will strengthen the SAF’s training systems and support the development of future generations – continuing my service in the Air Force and, in a broader sense, to Singapore.

Looking back, I never expected my path from SJI International classrooms to lead into the Air Force and now to Harvard. What I’ve come to realise is that you don’t need to have every step mapped out – what matters is staying committed, being curious, and remaining open to growth. From dragging myself through Theory of knowledge (TOK) class and Extended Essay (EE) deadlines to flying helicopters and preparing for graduate study, I’ve learned that leadership is ultimately about service. That lesson has guided me so far, and it’s the one I’ll carry with me into the years ahead.