One Year
On
 The Republic came into being because people were
willing to take risks…and both staff and
students must continue to take risks if the polytechnic
is to achieve its vision and mission. This was
Prof Low Teck Seng’s key message as he kicked
off the festivities to celebrate Republic Polytechnic’s
first anniversary on 1st August, 2003.
While marking another milestone in The Republic’s
history, the event was also an opportunity to appreciate
how far the organisation had come, from its humble
beginnings at the Data Storage Institute in NUS
to a full-fledged educational institution with
over 800 matriculated students. Together with The
Republic’s 120-strong staff, Prof Low enjoyed
an evening of good food and entertainment. Led
by Benjamin Seow, the MC for the evening, the programme
kicked off at 6.00 p.m. with a simple cake cutting
ceremony which also doubled up as a birthday celebration
for staff members born in the month of August,
which included Prof Low himself.
Celebrating the birthdays RP and staff
 As people helped themselves to a delectable spread
of international fare, a few stars were born that
night as 10 staff members took to the stage. Tay
Soo Tong, an academic staff with the School of
Engineering crooned a Mandarin song, much to the
delight of the appreciative crowd. Serene Chen
and Melissa Wong, both from the Centre for Culture
and Communication and professional actresses in
their own right, then took centre stage with a
song from a musical.
The Republic’s sta(r)ff performers.
 The RP Band, comprising staff members, continued
to entertain with a few instrumental numbers and
accompanied Lim Le Anne as she belted out some
favourite tunes. To add a touch of excitement,
a lucky draw was held and a few walked away with
prizes which included shopping and book vouchers.
The entertainment segment of the evening ended
on a high note, literally, with a duet by Benjamin
and Hartono which had some members of the audience
clapping and singing along
A slide show put together by Ng Chee Teng chronicled
the young history of The Republic in snapshots
that brought back memories for some and gave others
a glimpse of how far the organisation had come.
Prof Low closed the evening with a fitting challenge,
that while The Republic had come a long way, there
is a long way to go…
Happy Birthday RP and here’s to many more
to come!
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