"Thanks to my cousin, I came to NTU"
He once doubted he’d make it to university. Now Songkiat Ow is graduating top of his class, with a full heart and unforgettable memories
by Vivien Yap / Photos by Hillary Tan
“You know, I never thought I’d make it to university,” is the first thing Songkiat Ow says and it’s hard to believe him.
He’s approachable and quietly confident – proud to be graduating from NTU’s School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering & Biotechnology (CCEB).
But the wry smile on his face hints that his path to university was anything but typical.
Coming from the Normal (Technical) stream in secondary school, university felt like a world away to Songkiat when he was younger.
At the Institute of Technical Education (ITE), he learnt to operate industrial machinery like distillation columns – the tall towers used to separate mixed liquids. Then in polytechnic, he delved into how that very equipment works.
“But I wanted more,” he says. “I was fascinated by the principles behind the separation of the liquids and wanted to understand the why behind everything.”
So Songkiat pushed himself. He graduated top of his class in ITE, then again in polytechnic.
Now, in 2025, he’s the valedictorian of his CCEB cohort at NTU.
Songkiat is class valedictorian at NTU – a repeat feat, having also topped his class at his polytechnic graduation, where this photo with Mr Desmond Lee (now Minister for Education) was taken.
Why NTU felt right
It was a family connection that pointed Songkiat to NTU. “My cousin Nicholas inspired me to come here,” Songkiat gratefully shares.
Nicholas, who studied civil engineering and graduated in 2017, had painted a vivid picture of campus life – not just the academics, but the culture.
From soccer practices and dance rehearsals to midnight supper runs typical of hall life, NTU sounded like the vibrant, lively community he wanted to be part of.
“When I heard all these stories, NTU just felt like a different, exciting world,” he explains.
That image stayed with him – of a campus alive with possibility, where students shape their own experience. So when it came time to choose a university, NTU felt like the natural choice.
Grateful for all that NTU had made possible, Songkiat began looking for ways to give back. One such opportunity began brewing halfway across the world.
Graz-ing new ground
In his third year, he became the first CCEB student to go on exchange to Technische Universität Graz in Austria. “I was the only Singaporean in the university,” he says.
Determined to make the most of it, he reached out to NTU seniors who had studied there, via LinkedIn. He figured out how to map modules from his host university to NTU’s curriculum, cooked his own meals in a small student kitchen and even braved oral exams – something rarely encountered in Singaporean engineering courses.
“Taking oral examinations for my modules was a new challenge that I enjoyed,” he says.
When he returned, Songkiat didn’t keep the experience to himself. He gave talks on campus and started a blog, sharing everything from coursework tips to travel hacks – all to encourage his peers to take a chance on a lesser-known university in Austria.
Soon, more CCEB students were packing their bags for Technische Universität Graz. “I’d be studying in school when juniors would come by to thank me for being a trailblazer,” he says. “They told me I really helped them have a rewarding semester abroad.”
Engineering a colourful journey
As he reflects on his four years in NTU, it feels like Songkiat is flipping through a journal packed with colour – exciting, heartfelt and unforgettable.
There was the time he joined a school beer brewing competition just for fun, followed by a short overseas programme in Bangkok, where he learnt about Thailand’s medical tourism industry while picking up Muay Thai on the side.
Between the adventures, he laid the foundations for his future.
As a Singapore-Industry Scholar, Songkiat interned at offshore and marine engineering firm Seatrium, where he learnt to use 3D software to check the dimensions of large oil and gas vessels, and got a front-row seat to massive engineering projects. It was there that industry mentors helped him think big about his future.
After graduating from NTU this July, Songkiat will return to Seatrium – this time as a full-time engineer. He wants to be a project manager one day, leading clean energy initiatives for Singapore.
Any advice for his juniors? With a twinkle in his eye, Songkiat offers this: “Do the things that would make your 80-year-old self, and your eight-year-old self, proud.”
Jumpstart your career with the Singapore-Industry Scholarship
Want your course fees covered and a head start in your career? The Singapore-Industry Scholarship (SgIS) might be for you.
Open to current and prospective students, SgIS lets you choose a sponsoring organisation from a list of leading names across Singapore’s key industries – from engineering and trade to social services, hospitality and more.
Beyond tuition coverage, you’ll get valuable experience and connections through internships, mentorships, leadership forums and more.
Under SgIS, Songkiat chose maritime engineering firm Seatrium as his sponsor and was awarded a scholarship. He completed three internships with the company, learning from mentors and future colleagues – all while still in school.
Read more stories of grad-itude from the Class of 2025 here.
This story was published in the Jul-Aug 2025 issue of HEY!. To read it and other stories from this issue in print, click here.
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