Bringing Realism to SMU-X with Alexis Fosler
A Talk with Alexis Fosler, MA Counseling, MSC International Addiction Therapist
SMU-X is an interdisciplinary and experiential framework that challenges students at the Singapore Management University to take on real-world issues through collaborations with corporates, non-profits and government organizations.
Gametize is proud to collaborate with the Leadership and Team Building program (LTB), of the Lee Kong Chian School of Business, for the fourth straight semester. Gametize has supported over 300 students in addressing sustainability challenges and the aging population issues in Singapore using our ideation framework to engage, educate and create experiences for their target audiences.
This semester, we address the issue of substance abuse, specifically in prevention and intervention. Gametize believes in injecting as much realism into the projects the students embark on, which explains our tireless efforts to recruit mentors who are subject matter experts and industry leaders to guide the teams and offer counsel that will prove invaluable in their learning journey. We have a total of 10 volunteer industry mentors this semester including Dr. Gabriel Ong, Principal Psychologist at the Central Narcotics Bureau, Mr. Ahmad Firdaus Daud, member of the National Council Against Drug Abuse, and Ms. Alexis Fosler, a leading Psycho Therapist in substance use disorders, eating disorders and trauma-related disorders.
To immerse the students in the topic of substance abuse, Alexis Fosler conducted an Addiction Workshop on 11 September 2024 during our Week 4 consultation with the teams. She explained addiction – beyond the common understanding of the term – and provided an objective review of addiction models and intervention methods. Her personal and professional insights through her candid responses to questions made a significant difference in how the teams will approach their respective projects.
While the subject of substance abuse, particularly among the youths, will resonate and may cause some discomfort, the purpose behind this collaboration is to get students to think critically to solve real issues – ideals underpinning SMU-X.
We are able to provide experiential learning and the real-world exposure to the students at the LTB program because of the support we are able to garner. The program culminates in the November 6 Demo Day where the teams present their projects in front of a panel of judges.
There was so much that went on during the chat – Watch the release of the recording and to make sure you don’t miss the next Gametize Event, visit what we have for you and register your interest for future Gametize events at https://app.gametize.com/project/13555