Spreading the art of sailing: Drew Hulton-Smith '88

Alan and Sally Barnes were two staff members who enabled me to really pursue my personal and professional ambitions. Alan helped to facilitate my project week, which was to sail a boat from the Maldives to Sri Lanka and to Singapore! I could not imagine having the chance to undertake that anywhere other than a school like UWCSEA with staff who are passionate about enabling these opportunities, and letting students run with them.

That trip was one of the standout moments in my entire sailing career: I reached a realisation that I was doing the right thing. I was meant to be in the ocean in the middle of the night, by myself on deck with the crew asleep, in charge of the boat and having everything work the way it should. 

My direct involvement with UWCSEA Outdoor Pursuits extended prior to and well beyond my seven years attending the College. My first ever overnight yacht race was to Beluntu, the first of three visits to this unique and essential part of the UWCSEA experience. After graduation and following the closure of Beluntu I was invited to assist with the delivery of the Outward Bound and Sailing programmes held at the Republic of Singapore Yacht Club and Rat Island, then at Pulau Ubin. Spending the best part of a year on Ubin in 1992 with Alan and Sally Barnes was a remarkable experience, facilitating priceless opportunities for development as a professional in this field.

Returning to Australia in 1993 to pursue tertiary studies in Outdoor Recreation, Tourism Development and Sport Management, I returned to Pulau Ubin to complete my industry practicum. Over the course of the degree, UWCSEA also served as the basis for several other case studies. Having both the experience as a student and the understanding as a leader was a critical element towards successful completion of the program.

Now, working as a professional in the sailing industry, my clients come from all walks of life, all ages, all nationalities, all backgrounds, all demographics. To be able to treat each and every one of them with empathy, respect, and equal care and attention is something that was engendered with my experience at UWCSEA, which was such a multicultural and tolerant environment.