To (re)kickstart RV’s blog this 19/20, we decided to start it with a bang, we sat down with our one and only Master, Adeyeye Adekunle to have a chat with him on him leaving college, and also about the last 5 years of RVRC. We also asked a few fun questions for all you Kunle-fans out there to get to know our Master a lil’ bit more!
Why are you leaving RV?
I spent a lot of time (6 years) in RVRC, and in a way, I sacrificed my family through this journey. After 20 years in NUS, I want to spend more time with my family especially since the kids have grown up, so we need to move on to our next stage of life. Especially because my first daughter is already in University, so I really want to support her in whatever she does.
What will you be doing after leaving RV (& Singapore)?
I’ll be the Head of College at Trevelyan College at Durham University. The system there is different from NUS as the post-grad and undergrad system is lumped together, so it is going to be a new challenge. After having set up RVRC, I’m prepped well with challenges and this experience is universal.
What was the most memorable RV event for you?
To me, the most memorable event that happened was moving into this building (G block/annex)*. Before we had this building, we were borrowing places for our programmes, and we didn’t even have a dining hall. So when we had this building, I felt that we could see the full programme happening in RV instead.
What will you miss most about RV?
I’ll miss the interactions with students (and staff). Students give me joy and I like seeing them have an interesting experience in college. I see RV as living with your family, especially the students. So yes, this is what I’ll miss most.
What’s your biggest leadership takeaway during your stint as the master of RV?
2 things, authenticity & empowerment. I learned that I need to lead by example. I can’t ask students to do things I don’t want to do and I try to put myself in the shoes of the students. The second point is empowerment, which is to empower students to do it even when you can do it. Our students are smart, they have the know-how of the potential of their generation, so what the college does is just to support their initiatives. Mutual respect is important and must let the students know that students are as important as you.
What was your proudest moment in the past 5 years as the RVRC’s master?
There isn’t exactly one moment, because usually is the small things that make me proud. So things like when students do stuff for outside events, present at outside events or receiving an award, it all makes me really proud. I feel that being in the RVRC system will help students grow their character values and life is not just about the As on your report card.
How do you think RV has transformed you in terms of your lifestyle?
Actually, when we first chose the themes for RVRC, we chose sustainability because the team felt that it was relevant to the current educational system- no matter what faculty you’re from, you’ll be able to appreciate sustainability nonetheless. So what I do now is turning off the lights and opening the blinds (Fun fact: Master’s office has ceiling to floor windows so he uses that natural light to work instead of turning on the lights). I think everyone can contribute, but that doesn’t mean we condemn people when they use plastics. I think the focus is really on knowledge and contribution to our society.
Which aspect of RV would you like to see the most change in for the next couple of years?
I don’t want people to think that we are just about sustainability- we just have the necessary information for students who want to learn more about the environment (S/O to our academics team), and I think I would hope for more student empowerment to deal with student needs. This was why we had review classes with students for new teachers that are going to come in to teach. Because ultimately, it was the students that are going to receive these classes.
Why did you join RVRC?
I strongly believe that influencing the next generation is more meaningful than just the academic side, and life is so much more than just writing academic papers. I want to leave a lasting impact on the next generation, and that motivated me to want to join RVRC.
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With that, we have the first part of the Master’s Interview done! We also asked master some fun questions about his life – be it his dietary preference, hobbies, etc. So if you want to know more about our master, stay tuned to our next blog coming up next week! Master also gave some final words before we ended the interview, so look forward to that in the next blog as well!
Till then, #ridgeviewblogs
Written by Li Shuen.
If you’ve got something to share (like a new blog or an idea for the blog post), don’t just go to NUSWhispers, but spill the tea by emailing Li Shuen at wee.lishuen@u.nus.edu!