Finding Purpose in the Unexpected: Linus Loh’s Leadership Journey Beyond the Classroom

Linus Loh Kar Thong did not set out to become a leader. In 2023, fresh off hall orientation as a first-year Computer Engineering student, he signed up for the Students' Computing and Data Science (SCDS) Club with no agenda – just curiosity and a schedule that allowed it.

Three years on, that spur-of-the-moment decision has taken him through an events executive role, a seat on the core managing committee of the 2024 SCDS Gala, and a mentorship journey that shaped the experience of his juniors.

What began as an idle pursuit evolved into something far more consequential: a sustained lesson in leadership, resilience, and the kind of interpersonal skills that no classroom can teach.

Beyond the grind

 The conviction, however, did not come immediately. When Linus first encountered the computing events organised by the club, his reaction was blunt: "Wah, so boring." But rather than disengage, he looked at what he could improve. "I thought I can make these experiences worthwhile, and genuinely, truly enjoyable," he said.

This was eventually made possible when he became an events executive at the club. His goal was no longer simply to organise activities, but to raise the standard entirely.

Members of the SCDS Club

In time, the SCDS Club became a counterweight to the pressures of a demanding academic environment. Linus found himself questioning the assumption – common among fellow students – that grades and technical proficiency are the only things that matter.

"Technical skills can be learnt anytime. Your company can upskill you," he said. "But people skills? When else do you get the chance to do this? To lead, to work with a team. Because in the future, you're going to have to."

As a leader, you can't have that “do it better myself” mindset. Communicating what you want done properly matters more than doing it yourself.

 

Challenges accepted

 Ambition, of course, is unsustainable without a support system. Linus is candid about the fact that things did not always go according to plan. The lead-up to NTU CCDS GradNight 2025, for instance, did not go smoothly. Logistical problems kept piling up, and pressure mounted with each one.

But it was not just willpower that got carried him through. It was the people around him.

2024 SCDS Gala

 

Linus credits his peers for their unwavering support. "They got me through everything. Not just events, but all sorts of student challenges – tests, studying, times when you don't want to study but have to," he recalled.

The communal nature of the struggle was what made it bearable. “Knowing that the people beside you understand exactly what you're going through, that you can confide in them and you're all pushing toward the same finish line, it transforms a gruelling experience into a shared one,” he said.

The leadership lesson

Linus notes how the club has influenced the way he now approaches the workplace – how he communicates, shares responsibility, and carries himself around colleagues. "Without people skills, you won't get as far," he said.

Leading his peers also taught him something he had not expected: that effective leadership is not about doing more, but about letting go and trusting others to deliver.

Reflecting on his journey, Loh acknowledges past mistakes and views them as integral to his growth. He advises students to embrace extracurricular opportunities, emphasising the lasting value of leadership and teamwork.

“Don’t think of what you could be doing; instead, realise the value of what you are gaining.”

Looking back, Linus carries with him something no transcript can capture: the knowledge that growth does not happen in isolation, that leadership is learned by doing, and that the people who struggle alongside you are the ones who make the hard parts worth it. In a field defined by relentless change, that might be the most durable skill set of all.

 

Submitted by Pandey Vasudev Neeraj.