Liz Tan (USA 85-87) is currently a freelance First Assistant Director in film and television in Auckland, New Zealand. 

 

Previously Liz worked as an Acquisition and Co-productions Assistant at the Discovery Channel in the USA  and as an intern whilst completing her BA in Visual Media at American University, Washington DC.  Liz has also worked as a Station Manager at a radio station in Auckland.

 

“I started my schooling in Singapore before moving to New Zealand at the age of twelve, where I went to secondary school.  UWC was worlds apart from either of my previous schools.” says Liz.

 

“I had attended a government school in Singapore – very structured, with a heavy emphasis on academics and almost none on sport or art – followed by a state school in New Zealand which was less strict and which had a more well-rounded curriculum, but still valued obedience and memorising facts over learning. For the first time at UWC, I was in a learning environment that challenged me, where questions were welcomed and where we were encouraged to THINK. In Singapore, everybody wanted to be first, while in NZ it was ‘uncool’ to be too smart; at UWC everyone was debating and thinking and arguing – it was an incredibly stimulating environment. I particularly credit the ‘Theory of Knowledge’ course with giving me analytical skills which I use every day.

 

“As a result of my UWC education I am much more aware of HOW I think – of the assumptions and prejudices that may affect my decisions. I feel more like a citizen of the world than of a particular nation, knowing that I have a lot in common with people all over the world.  It is hard to know how things would have turned out had I not studied at UWC – I imagine most options would have still been open to me, but the difference is I may not have been awake to them.

 

“There are so many memories from my time at UWC. One thing that stands out is that we all very quickly forgot our differences and related to each other as individuals. But when visitors walked into the cafeteria during a meal, I would see our multi-cultural meals and mayhem through their eyes and realise how incredible it was to them.”