Alumni visits to Campus
The return to normalcy has brought back many of the experiences we might have previously taken for granted. Since campus has reopened, we have been fortunate to have so many alumni returning to campus for various reasons.? Some have returned to sit in on their favorite teachers’ classes, help out with coaching duties, share their insights with seniors or just to connect with old friends and explore the new campus.
As we have listened to alumni reminisce about the fun, incredible, and life-changing experiences they had in their years at ISKL, we have thought about what we can do to help students create their own memories and stories at ISKL. One of our ideas was to create a place for Alumni on campus. The Alumni office was built over the 2022 summer holidays. The space includes a lounge area complete with a collection of ISKL memorabilia for those wishing to take a walk down memory lane. The hallway outside of the office is full of murals, photos, and posters, drawing connections between then and now. The Alumni office and hallway are located on one of the main walkways on the new campus, situated between the admissions office and the MS/HS entrances. We quite literally wanted to show current students that once a panther, always a panther – and they would always have a place to come back to thats just for them.
Our first visitors to the new Alumni space were class of 2012 Alumni McKayla Burnstad and Nurelain Anwar. McKayla and Nurelain, visiting from Los Angeles and Singapore, respectively, were greeted by the new Alumni office on their visit to campus in the first days of the 22-23 school year. They took some time to catch up with Alumni Engagement and Development Lead Kendra Jones and to thumb through some old yearbooks. They also took some time to pose next to the new highly-instagrammable Alumni murals.
Most Alumni come back to catch us with their favorite teachers. For those with a love of the written word, their time with Mr. Venables is a treasured memory. Some Alumni managed to sit in for a Quill Poetry Club meeting and re-live their days as students in Mr. Venables class. Alumni Esther Tan (21), Shu Chuan Wei (21) and Sophia Lee (21) found themselves back in the mix as if they had never left. Another Alumni reconnecting with a former teacher was class of 2014 Salutatorian Rohil Bhargava, who visited his former IB English Language and Literature teacher Noren Sahari. While he was a student he was also a member of the much loved band, Set 5, who won the Battle of the Bands in 2014. Rohil stopped by near the end of August 2022 with family to visit the new campus, which he hadn't seen before. Noren remembers Rohil fondly reminiscing “I traveled with Rohil on Gap to Nepal when he was in Grade 9. It was one of my best trips thanks to students like Rohil who made it such an enjoyable and meaningful adventure.”
Class of 2021 graduates Molly Godde and Hina Singh returned to campus at the end of August to participate in the 5th installment of the Alumni GetReal! Series. They lead a lively discussion comparing the different university admissions processes between Australian and U.S. schools.
Molly made the most of her short visit home from uni, and teamed up with fellow classmate and former teammate Esther Tan (‘21), who had already made an appearance at the Quill meeting, to help coach a MS Softball practice. Coming back as a coach is a common way for Alumni to stay involved. Will Bollom (‘17) is spending his time back in KL coaching JV Boys Volleyball. For Will, coaching is an important way to stay connected to his alma mater.
Many alumni visit because they have love and pride for our great school and want to show their support. Alumni also enjoy talking about their days as students, and how ISKL helped to form and shape their lives. We are so fortunate for these experiences and that ISKL fosters this very special and unique relationship between the alumni and ISKL. We are eternally grateful to our alumni for the time and resources they contribute to the school. If you are interested in visiting campus, please write to alumni@iskl.edu.my.