Mentoring Insights 2026: Navigating Your North Star

On 6 March, over 200 students, alumni mentors, and industry leaders gathered for Mentoring Insights 2026, an evening organized by SIT’s Office of SITizen Experience (OSE) that proved one thing: sometimes the best classroom is a conversation with someone who’s already walked the path ahead.

The night centred on a simple but powerful question: What guides you in work, in growth, and in purpose? It was less about having all the answers and more about discovering what actually matters to you. The energy struck a sweet balance — lively enough to spark real conversations, yet thoughtful enough for genuine reflection.

Held on 6 March 2026 and organised by the Office of SITizen Experience (OSE) Alumni team, the event drew more than 200 participants — including mentors and mentees from Cycles 10 and 11, returning alumni mentors from earlier cycles, students across the wider SIT community, and OSE staff. It marked a key milestone within the SIT Alumni Mentoring Programme, celebrating mentorship journeys and recognising alumni contributions across multiple cycles.

From Welcome to Recognition: A Well-Paced Evening

The evening kicked off with a welcome address by Director of OSE Mr Lawrenz Sim, before moving into the recognition of long-serving mentors, including two distinguished alumni, Thu Ya Kyaw and Eugene Goh, who have participated in the programme for ten consecutive cycles—a testament to their sustained commitment to developing emerging talent.

Thu Ya Kyaw, one of these dedicated mentors, articulated his motivation behind this commitment:

“I’m motivated by the opportunity to make a positive and lasting difference in someone’s life. Watching my mentees grow and achieve their goals gives me a huge sense of satisfaction. Every new mentoring cycle is also a chance for me to learn and improve my own leadership skills. I also get to learn about the new generation and how they think about the world.”

Mentors and mentees from Cycles 10 and 11 received certificates recognising their participation, formalising the programme’s commitment to celebrating growth on both sides of the mentoring relationship.

Breakout Sessions: Candid Perspectives, Real-World Wisdom

The core of the evening was the series of four breakout sessions led by SIT alumni and industry leaders. Each session brought a different lens to the theme of navigating one’s career, drawing on the rich professional experiences of speakers at the forefront of their respective fields.

The sessions covered topics that resonated deeply with participants:

Thriving Through Change, facilitated by Alexander Lee (Business Owner & Founder, 41 Labs )
Balancing Work, Life, and Learning, led by Emily Poon (SIT IAP, Ex-President at Ogilvy)
Charting Your Career Path, presented by Timothy Tham (Technical Lead & Manager, Singapore Pools)
Building Meaningful Connections, facilitated by Wildon Goh (Head of SEA and Country Head, Fidelity International)

Each session combined a structured presentation with interactive Q&A, enabling participants to pose experience-based questions in an intimate setting. This format encouraged substantive dialogue grounded in practical challenges and real-world scenarios.

Leading the breakout discussion at SIT Mentoring Insights 2026 was such a meaningful experience — the energy from the students and alumni reminded me why mentorship matters. We explored themes of resilience, passion, and navigating career uncertainty, and I hope participants walked away with the courage to take action even with “80% certainty,” trusting that clarity often comes only after the leap. As an SIT alumnus, returning to share my journey felt like a full‑circle moment. Engaging with the mentees was both humbling and inspiring, a reminder that while everyone’s “North Star” is different, we all grow stronger by sharing our stories and walking the path together.

— Mr Timothy Tham, Technical Lead & Manager, Singapore Pools

Through the Eyes of a Student Moderator

The breakout sessions were guided by dedicated moderators who brought both energy and intentionality to the role. Sunnie Genevieve Ong Jia Qi, a SITizen Ambassador who moderated the Building Meaningful Connections session, reflected on the experience:

“It was truly an eye-opening experience taking on the role of both a SAm and moderator. Beyond simply relaying questions, I had to be intentional in shaping the conversation, keeping the audience engaged, and ensuring each segment carried purpose and meaning throughout the session. One key takeaway from moderating Mr Wildon’s session was the importance of networking; you never know which connection might eventually become your ‘North Star.’ What stood out to me most was how he did not just speak about networking in theory, but actively embodied it by equipping students and alumni with practical frameworks like VALUE, making the idea of building meaningful connections both tangible and actionable.”

Speed Mentoring: Fast-Paced, Meaningful Exchanges

Complementing the breakout sessions was the speed mentoring segment — a format designed for maximum connection in minimal time. Conducted over multiple rounds, participants rotated through guided conversations with mentors from diverse professional backgrounds.

The energy was electric. Students came prepared with questions; mentors came ready to share. From career pivots to leadership lessons, the exchanges were direct, practical, and often surprisingly personal. For many participants, this segment offered something that no classroom can replicate: unfiltered, real-world perspective from people who have been exactly where they are now.

Brand Your North Star: Reflecting on Identity and Purpose

Beyond the structured programme, participants could also take part in fringe activities that encouraged deeper self-reflection. The centrepiece was “Brand Your North Star” — an interactive exercise that invited students to identify their personal strengths, articulate their core values, and begin shaping their professional identity.

This activity functioned as a catalyst for peer dialogue, with participants exchanging perspectives, testing assumptions, and developing greater clarity regarding their career drivers and professional aspirations.

A Community That Gives Back

At its core, Mentoring Insights 2026 was a celebration of community. The event delivered several tangible outcomes: exposure to evidence-based perspectives on career navigation; practical frameworks for professional decision-making; and meaningful network-building opportunities across student and alumni communities..

For students and emerging professionals, the event provided direct access to mentors who have successfully navigated complex career decisions and transitions. For alumni mentors, it offered an opportunity to contribute meaningfully to institutional development while reinforcing their own leadership competencies. And for the OSE team, the event validated a fundamental premise: when people come together in a spirit of genuine mentorship, meaningful outcomes consistently emerge.

As SIT continues to build a culture of mentorship that extends well beyond graduation, Mentoring Insights 2026 stands as a reminder that the north stars we navigate by are often the people willing to walk beside us.