On the morning of July 10th, the 2016 XMU Shanghai alumni conference was held in Shanghai attended by over 400 alumni. Zhang Yan, secretary of the school party committee, Zhan Xinli, vice president of XMU and vice chairman of the XMU general alumni association, Hong Yongmiao, dean of the School of Economics and the Wang Yanan Institute for Studies in Economics, Zeng Guobin, secretary general of the general alumni association of XMU, Zhu Mengnan, assistant dean of the School of Economics and Lai Xiaoqiong, assistant dean of the Wang Yanan Institute for Studies in Economics attended the conference. Responsible persons of XMU alumni associations in different places such as Beijing, Guangdong, Zhejiang, Sichuan, Ningxia and so on were also present to express their congratulations.
The conference kicked off with the anthem of XMU. Lin Zhong, secretary general of the 7th XMU Shanghai alumni association, used four key words, inheritance, innovation, devotion and love to retrospect last three years’ work of the association. Huang Hui, chairman of the 7th XMU Shanghai alumni association, granted 2015 alumni contribution award and presented flags for newly established Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Branch and Returnees Branch to be established. In his address, Huang expressed his gratitude for the support from all parties and clarified the main work of the alumni association citing “What the Great Learning teaches, is to illustrate illustrious virtue; to renovate the people; and to rest in the highest excellence” in The Great Learning by Zengzi(a great Chinese thinker in the history). He also introduced the background of the change of the council leadership.
Wan Jianhuang, alumnus of Grade 1978 graduated from the Department of Finance, and chairman of E-Capital Transfer Co., Ltd, was selected as the chairman of the 8th alumni association of Shanghai, Xu Wencai, general manager of the Shanghai Changxiang Architectural Design Office as executive vice chairman and chief executive director, Huang Qiyin, Zhu Dezhen, Yang Yijie, Cai Rongwei, Li Siming, Xu Jie and so on as vice chairmen, He Suxiang, MBA alumnus of Grade 1995 as secretary general.
Wan Jianhua delivered his inaugural address, acknowledging the work done by all previous councils and promising that the 8th council will perform its duty to make still further progress. He was grateful for the trust from alumni and would devote to passing down the spirits of alma mater from generation to generation. Xu Wencai made a prospect of future work and hoped to innovate based on traditional good deeds, making the alumni association a bridge between alumni and alma mater. Xie Huihui, alumna of Grade 2000 graduated from the Department of Business Administration and representative of alumni in Shanghai, and Chen Guogang, chairman of the alumni association of Beijing, delivered their speeches and expressed their best wishes for the new council.
Chen Pengsheng, honorary chairman of the alumni association of Shanghai, expressed his heartfelt thankfulness for the 7th council and warm congratulations on the new council in his address. Chen also wished that alma mater would soon become a world-class university.
Zhang Yan, showed his gratitude for alumni in Shanghai who has earned honor for XMU and made contribution to the alumni association. He expected alumni would contribute to the development of the alumni association of Shanghai and the new council would help alumni in Shanghai carry forward the knowledge and spirits learned in XMU and make common progress with them. Zhang said that the 95th anniversary of XMU was not only a gathering but also a new start for all XMUers. He hoped that alumni would offer advice for the development of alma mater and devote to constructing it together with students and faculties in XMU.
Shanghai alumni activities can be dated back to 1930s. Advocated by Xie Xide, the XMU alumni association of Shanghai was officially founded in 1984. Since then, the association have actively contacted and united alumni, strictly adhered to regulations and promoted the development of branches, making great contribution to strengthen connections between alumni and alma mater and accelerate local economic and social development.
