The third Annual History Alumni Dinner saw just under a hundred former students, faculty members and friends of the History Department return to the Kent Ridge Guild House on 20 Apr 07. Here, this large group of old friends and former classmates spent a relaxing evening enjoying each other’s company over a sumptuous buffet spread.
The invitation promised a lot:
“… an opportunity to catch up with friends we have not seen in some time.”
“… promises to be a night of good fun and entertainment, and you will certainly not want to miss the Department’s musical item! Three of our assistant professors are going to rock the house down.”
“…Bring your dancing shoes if you feel like it. If you’re not dancing, then come and enjoy a quiet drink with us as well.”
The Department certainly did not disappoint. The food was good, entertainment great, and company, excellent. But, those who had come expecting to enjoy “a quiet drink” with the Department soon found they got more than what they had bargained for. They should have known. A red flag should have gone up the moment A/P Brian Farrell went up on stage and introduced himself as the host for the evening. Uh oh …
Dr Dan "Coach" Crosswell with NHAA Committee Members Priscilla Chua, and Ho Shu Huang
The evening began innocuously enough. A/P Albert Lau first welcomed the guests and brought them up to speed on the latest developments in the Department. An award for the Belle of the Bal was thereafter given to Ms Harminder Kaur. Dinner then commenced, and old friends were given an opportunity to catch up with each other over local delights and exotic treats. Animated chatter filled the ballroom. Had nothing else been planned for the evening, the dinner would still have been a resounding success for this reason alone.
The Three Amigos - Drs Michael Kelly, Mark Emmanuel, and Maitrii Aung-Thwin
The programme, however, quickly went into over-drive. Three items, a musical performance by three assistant professors, a karaoke competition, and a quiz, had been planned for the night, and the Department certainly made good its promise to entertain. The “Three Amigos” (not the “Three Stooges” as initially feared) impressed the guests with a medley of four classics, including The Everly Brothers’ Bye Bye Love. On form and, thankfully, in tune, Drs. Mark Emmanuel, Michael Kelly and Maitrii Aung-Thwin brought the house down. A/P Farrell, along with the effervescent Dr. Kelly, then kicked the karaoke competition off by belting out Frank Sinatra’s My Way. Old Blue Eyes probably turned in his grave with the dynamic duo’s rendition of his famous classic, but the audience was nonetheless suitably entertained. Other amateur crooners soon followed their lead and took to the stage. The final item, the customary history quiz, was given a different twist. This year, the quiz was on the Department’s faculty members, and many a professor’s colourful past surfaced that evening. One cannot help but wonder if Dr. Dan “Coach” Crosswell is still under CIA surveillance, or if A/P Bruce Lockhart will ever rejoin the Hell’s Angel’s Laotian chapter.
The NUS History Alumni Association Committee
At the conclusion of the evening’s festivities, Dr Emmanuel introduced the committee of the newly formed NUS History Alumni Association. Its formation long overdue, the association hopes to be a network which will help former students stay connected with the Department, their peers, and their juniors. In this globalised, fast-paced world, it is regrettably all too easy to fall out of touch with each other. Bonds formed should not be wasted. The Alumni Association aims to be a resource which will grow them, for everyone’s mutual benefit.
For more information on the NUS History Alumni Associations, please email
nushistoryalumni@gmail.com
