Looking Ahead: Graduating Students Share What’s Next

As the Yale-NUS Class of 2025 nears graduation – and with it, the College reaches its final chapter – three students from the graduating class share their post-graduation plans and reflect on how their years at Yale-NUS have shaped them.

Celine Lee (Class of 2024) will be joining Bridgespan as an Associate Consultant. Image provided by Celine Lee.

Celine Lee (Class of 2024) is currently completing her Master in Public Policy through the Yale-NUS and Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy Concurrent Degree Programme. Upon graduation, she will be joining the Bridgespan Group Southeast Asia as an Associate Consultant. The firm partners with philanthropists, impact investors, and non-profits to maximise their impact and drive social change — a mission which resonates deeply with Celine. “I look forward to playing my part in supporting mission-driven organisations as they tackle some of the region’s most pressing developmental challenges,” she shared.

Celine’s decision to enter the impact consulting space was shaped by her long-standing interest in international development and curiosity about how policy drives social and economic progress. “Pursuing a Master in Public Policy deepened my understanding of the broader development ecosystem — consisting of not just governments, but also international organisations, non-profits, and the private sector,” she said. “Through my studies and experiences, I became naturally drawn to impact consulting, where strategy and data-driven insights can help maximise the effectiveness of philanthropic and social sector efforts.”

Looking back, Celine expressed her gratitude towards the Yale-NUS community for encouraging her aspiration as well as CIPE’s support and resources which helped opened doors for her. “Through various internships, I gained firsthand exposure to the work of NGOs, social enterprises, the civil service, and international organisations – experiences that helped me step into the world of social impact and development,” Celine elaborated.

Melodi Inceboz (Class of 2025), a Life Sciences major, will be starting her PhD programme in Neuroscience at Johns Hopkins University this coming fall. Her passion for neuroscience, which began in her childhood, deepened during her time at Yale-NUS where she gained hands-on research experience as a research assistant in Associate Professor of Science (Neuroscience) Ajay Sriram Mathuru’s lab. While on study abroad at Yale University, Melodi also had the opportunity to conduct research with faculty members, such as Assistant Professor of Psychiatry Alfred Kaye and

Associate Professor of Psychology and of Neuroscience Steve Chang. These experiences encouraged her to explore neuroscience more and ultimately led her to pursue graduate studies in the field.

Melodi Inceboz (Class of 2025) will be doing a PhD in Neuroscience at John Hopkins University. Photo provided by Melodi Inceboz. 

Reflecting on her time at Yale-NUS, Melodi credits her classmates and professors for pushing her to develop the skills necessary for her academic journey. She also expressed deep appreciation for the support she received from the Centre for International & Professional Experience (CIPE), which provided valuable guidance throughout her PhD application process. “Last but not least, I am grateful to all my friends – both those on similar paths and those on entirely different ones – who encouraged me to take this step and apply for my PhD.”

For Tesha Sengupta (Class of 2025), the decision to do a PhD in philosophy at the University of Michigan felt like a natural step. “I really enjoyed learning philosophy and found that my classes were not enough – I felt that I was only covering the tip of the iceberg,” Tesha shared. “Plus, I really thought my professors had cool lives, so I wanted to kind of follow in their footsteps.”

Tesha Sengupta (Class of 2025) will be pursuing a PhD in Philosophy at UMichigan after graduation. Image provided by Tesha Sengupta. 

Tesha explained that her education at Yale-NUS was instrumental in preparing her for graduate studies. Yale-NUS’s rigorous coursework helped her develop the analytical and writing skills needed to craft a strong writing sample, which was central to her successful application. Reflecting on her journey, Tesha expressed her gratitude towards her professors for their mentorship and encouragement in getting her into her dream graduate programme.