Project 1095 took a full year of deep, reflective thinking. And I am glad that Concept Lab was there throughout this journey.
 
It is not always easy to find a collaborating partner who shares the same passion and conviction for the work that you do. For a number of years, that was what I was looking for – a partner who has the patience to spend time understanding your work; one who is able to feel your aspirations; and who sincerely believes in the good of the work that you do. Magically, that is what happened in this particular collaboration.
 
Project 1095 is SIM Student Life's commitment to our students. It is a movement to get our students to think about the future that they want and the actions that they need to take to get there. University is supposed to be a place for exploration. Yet, the courage to try and fail frequently evades a Singaporean mindset conditioned to pursue pure academic success. We wanted our students to adopt a different habit of mind – one that encourages them to pursue their dreams and to make good of the opportunities that come their way. We want to change mindsets, shape behaviors, and influence outcomes.
 
The result is a piece of work that reflects the fears that one feels in taking a chance while celebrating the excitement of hopes and possibilities. We spent hours, days, and months pouring through words, phrases and different ways of expression just to get the message right. We were collaborating – in every sense of that word. It turned out to be a lot of fun.
 
I realized during this process that what we had gained goes far beyond the piece of work that we had jointly produced. It was a meeting of minds – individuals who are deeply committed to their craft, uncompromising in producing high-quality work, and excited at the prospect of shaping the next generation. We became fast friends. That, to me, is something I valued above all else.