Be part of the RP Family
Being the youngest poly in Singapore also means we have some cool alumni who have carved out a niche for themselves. RP is known for our strong family spirit and identity. Many RP alumni have stayed connected and given back to the poly in a multitude of ways, from sharing their time and knowledge to making kind donations. Hear from our coolest alumni as they share more about their time in RP and life after graduation!
Actor, musician, YouTuber, host and all-round hustler – Tosh Zhang might have social media to thank for his rise to stardom, but his transition from average Joe to household name may have been written in the stars all along. Describing his days in RP as one of the best times of his life, Tosh was quite the entertainer, having once made it to the finals of Hey Gorgeous, a local talent-scouting competition.
“They spotted me after I started B-boying in the canteen. I went onstage and performed an entire rap about how people liked to judge me based on what I wore. I was a pretty loud dresser. I remember being in red from head to toe that day, and I even had cornrows...”
The outspoken alumni, who became a videographer after graduation, eventually got his big break through the Ah Boys to Men movie franchise – an opportunity that came after he started YouTube.
At RP, I was encouraged to explore different things and to express myself. So I formed many opinions that I eventually decided to put online! Tosh Zhang RP Diploma in New Media Graduate (Now known as Diploma in Media Production & Design) School of Technology for the Arts
And with nine film features, 14 music singles, and a legion of fans, it’s safe to say the multi-hyphenate is at the top of his game.
"I looked forward to school! It was very fun because there was something different to learn every day, be it producing short films or graphic designs. I even got an ‘A’ on my Final Year Project (FYP) – we did a documentary on the b-boy community and local hip hop culture. Being able to combine my interests was really memorable, and my lecturer even used our project as an example for our juniors!"
"RP allows you to explore your horizons and achieve your goals in a unique learning environment. Apart from that, the RP culture is super vibrant and will get you excited about going to school, which I believe will help you perform better."
Setting out to build a henna empire (and amassing over 65 thousand social media followers while at it) wasn’t part of Razinah’s plan.
It was a natural progression that started from a simple henna engagement Razinah Rafik Ahmad RP Diploma in Consumer Behaviour & Research Graduate (DCBR), School of Management and Communication
At 17, Razinah was about to embark on her next stage of education, but had little clue what to pursue. After one client led to another, the henna maven recognised the potential to turn her passion into a full-fledged business.
In a fortuitous turn of events, Razinah's decision to enroll in DCBR provided the last piece to the puzzle. Today, Razinah is not only a highly sought-after bridal henna artist, but also a successful entrepreneur who is taking the industry by storm.
"I knew that DCBR would equip me with applicable skills for not only my henna venture, but also a wide range of career options.
Whether it’s lending insight into consumer behaviour, brand management, media communications or social media marketing, each module has taught me relevant knowledge that I’ve been able to integrate into my own business."
"They were extremely supportive! Apart from dishing out solid business advice and powerful words of encouragement, my lecturers even showed up to my booth at RP’s Entrepreneur Week to get henna tattoos done!
To aspiring entrepreneurs, I hope you find something that you really enjoy. Being truly passionate about what you’re doing will help drive you to make it work, and to overcome the obstacles that come your way."
Keefe Lau is not a conventional scholar. He repeated Secondary Three, took the polytechnic route and on July 19, this year became the first polytechnic student to be awarded the prestigious Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Scholarship.
Keefe intends to study political science in an overseas university. The 21-year-old, who was active in community service during his RP days, said he made up his mind to sign on as a SAF regular a few weeks before he enlisted.
“Being this firm on the spirit of public service, I felt it was most appropriate that I continue my path in giving back to support our forefathers and shape the future of Singapore for our people,” he said. “I intend to pursue political science to understand greater on the governance of a nation and how to optimise it. With this in mind, I hope that the experience I have gained and will be gaining in my journey would prove to be fruitful in equipping me to provide the best I can for our community.”
In May 2019, Keefe graduated with a Diploma in Health Services Management (Merit) with a perfect 4.0 GPA. Besides excelling in his studies, Keefe also served as Vice-President of the Student Council in 2017.
While academic achievement is important, what matters more…is the right values, the right attitude and willingness to serve what is greater than us... Keefe Lau RP Diploma in Health Services Management Graduate School of Sports, Health and Leisure
Outside of school, Keefe had previously volunteer at the Institute of Mental Health and nursing homes. He helped the residents to cut their hair and attend to their personal hygiene needs.
Keefe cites scientist Albert Einstein’s belief that it is everyone’s duty to give back to the world what he or she have taken from it. Keefe said: “In the time that I have spent with the community, I also understood that it is my responsibility to return what I have gain and benefited from the success of our nation. And it begins from contributing in the many different ways regardless of magnitude back to the community young or old, for those in the past or future.”
You’ll need to mix creativity and hardwork to run public events. Just ask RP's School of Hospitality graduate, Hannah Alkaff. Hannah was an intern with Pico Pro’s marketing team, where she helped manage two cool events in Singapore!
My internship with Pico Pro has been very insightful. Being on the marketing team of two major events, the iLight Singapore and Marina Bay Countdown has really opened my eyes to how the marketing industry for special events works. Not only that, I have also been given the opportunity to try out copywriting and populating website content. It’s very fulfilling to see the work that I’ve put in come to life! Hannah Alkaff RP Diploma in Integrated Events Management Graduate, School of Hospitality
Hannah never dreamt that she would be given the opportunity to represent her poly and Singapore at an international event when she first joined RP. Having done well in 2017's MICE Challenge, Hannah and her team won a fully sponsored invitation to attend the PCMA Convening Leaders convention in Nashville, Tennessee (USA).
Recalling her experience, Hannah shares, "Attending this convention put into perspective what I had learned in school to real life. I learnt the importance of networking as this allows for more opportunities for both parties. Through networking, more relationships are formed and in turn, we will be able to grow as a community. This experience was an eye-opening one and reassured me that the events industry is the one that I want to be in the long run. The entire trip was a learning experience and it is one I wouldn't trade for the world!"