Five stellar alumni from the NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) were lauded with the FASS Distinguished Arts and Social Sciences Alumni Awards (DASSAA) on 10 July 2025 for their outstanding service and contributions to society.

Established in 2015, the DASSAA celebrates alumni who have made a meaningful impact on the University, the wider community, and Singapore, or who have advanced the arts and social sciences through their dedication and achievements locally or internationally.

This year’s honourees are culinary curator and chef Ms Violet Oon; diplomat and former politician Mr Sam Tan Chin Siong; diplomat, Brigadier-General (Retd) and respected community leader Mr Ishak Ismail, pioneering social worker and advocate Dr Sudha Nair; as well as academic and innovator in education, Professor Low Ee Ling.

Changemakers shaping the aspirations of the next generation of FASS minds
FASS Dean Professor Lionel Wee underscored how the Faculty has long stood as a beacon of intellectual curiosity, cultural advancement, and social responsibility and that the vision has “always been to nurture not only thinkers and creators, but also compassionate leaders who use their knowledge for the greater good.”

These recipients, he added, inspire current and future students not only to dream boldly but also to use their knowledge in the service of others. “In a time when the world needs thoughtful leadership more than ever, your examples inspire others. Your journeys remind us that success is not just measured by personal accolades, but by the positive impact we create in the lives of others,” he said.

The event featured videos of the award recipients reflecting on their university days as they shared key moments in their professional journeys.

Mr Ishak fondly recalled his time at NUS, where he bonded with fellow Sheares Hall hostelites over sports and activities, and spent long hours studying with friends in the library after classes. It was also at NUS that he met his life partner.

When asked how her FASS education had shaped her career, Ms Oon shared that studying sociology and political science made a “world of difference” in how she approached food heritage and culture.

“So I don’t interpret food as delicious or not – that is a given,” she said. “What matters is what does it mean to a people? How do you judge the food? You have to learn about the culture and the proper techniques of cooking. That comes from studying, from checking. And if you take a subject like sociology, everything is based on facts and on research – I think that is so important.”

From food heritage to public leadership: FASS Alumni who left their mark on Singapore society

This year’s award recipients have left their mark in areas ranging from Peranakan cuisine and diplomacy to family violence intervention and academic leadership.

Widely regarded as the grande dame of Singaporean cooking, Ms Oon began her career as an arts and music critic before pioneering a food column that launched her decades-long career as Singapore’s leading food writer. She opened her first Peranakan restaurant in 1993, and today, the “Violet Oon Singapore” restaurant group is synonymous with heritage cuisine, with iconic outlets like Violet Oon Singapore at Jewel Changi Airport. As Singapore’s food ambassador, she led national chef delegations at international culinary festivals and her accolades include being inducted into the Singapore Women’s Hall of Fame (2016) and receiving the Singapore Tourism Board’s Lifetime Achievement Award (2019).

Mr Tan is Singapore’s Special Envoy for Arctic Affairs and Non-Resident High Commissioner to Canada. He has built a distinguished career in public service, diplomacy, and civic leadership. From 2009 to 2020, he served as Senior Parliamentary Secretary and Minister of State in several ministries, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth. He was also a Member of Parliament from 2006 to 2020. Mr Tan held key community and cultural leadership roles, including CEO of Business China (2007 to 2009), where he strengthened Singapore-China ties. For his longstanding service, he was awarded the Public Service Medal in 2002.

Mr Ishak served in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) for over 29 years, rising to the rank of Brigadier-General and playing a pivotal role in transforming SAF’s training systems and leadership development. He later held senior roles in private firms that focused on defence solutions and regional growth. He is now Singapore’s Non-Resident High Commissioner to Pakistan, and chairs both the Families for Life Council and the National Maritime Safety at Sea Council. He is also Principal Consultant at i-Grow Partners Pte Ltd, where he has been a certified coach appointed by the SAF to facilitate team leadership and development since 2016. He received the Public Administration Medal (Military) in 2008 and the Public Service Medal in 2023.

A social work veteran for over 30 years, Dr Nair began her career in 1987 at the Ang Mo Kio Family Service Centre (FSC), transforming it in 17 years into a model for other FSCs to follow. In 1999, she co-founded the Centre for Promoting Alternatives to Violence (PAVE), Singapore’s first one-stop specialist centre for family violence, which now manages around 2,000 cases annually. Beyond frontline work, Dr Nair has nurtured future social workers through research and teaching at the NUS Department of Social Work, and has served on national bodies such as the Council of Presidential Advisers. Her many accolades include the Outstanding Social Worker Award (1998) and the Public Service Star (2022).

Prof Low is President’s Chair Professor in Education (Applied Linguistics and Teacher Education) and Dean of Academic and Faculty Affairs at the National Institute of Education (NIE), Nanyang Technological University. A leading voice in teacher education, applied linguistics, and educational policy, she has shaped NIE’s strategic directions through initiatives like “A Teacher Education Model for the 21^st Century. For her dedication, she received the Public Administration Medal (Bronze) in 2012. Internationally, she was recognised for her exemplary scholarship by the Academy for Leadership in Teacher Education (ALiTE) at the University of Hong Kong in 2021, and has been selected as the President-Elect of the International Academy of Education (IAE) in 2024.

The recipients were presented with their awards at a simple ceremony at Conrad Singapore Marina Bay. Joining to celebrate the occasion with them were 56 family and friends of the honourees, as well as FASS staff and faculty.

Click here for more information on the award recipients.