President Shen Attends the 55th Annual Meeting of the Alumni Association of Southern California
Written by Hsu Tsu-Yueh. Image credit to NCKU News Center.
Group photo of NCKU alumni and NCKU President Meng-Ru Shen at the 55th annual meeting of CKUAASC on December 10th.
On December 10th, the Cheng Kung University Alumni Association of Southern California (CKUAASC) held its 55th annual meeting at the Hyatt Regency Orange County in California, USA. NCKU President Meng-Ru Shen specially led a delegation to attend the event and witnessed the handover of the CKUAASC presidency from the former president Han-Kuan Tsai to the newly appointed president Hsu-Min Yeh. President Shen expressed gratitude for the longstanding efforts of the CKUAASC. He pointed out that NCKU, with its 92 years of history, has a network of 220,000 alumni worldwide. This is a remarkable achievement among Taiwanese universities, and the strength of the alumni has always been NCKU’s greatest asset.
NCKU President Meng-Ru Shen expressed that strength of the alumni has always been NCKU’s greatest asset.
NCKU President Meng-Ru Shen expressed that, for many years, NCKU has consistently ranked first nationally in various important evaluations among Taiwanese universities. NCKU alumni demonstrate valuable characteristics such as strong teamwork skills, exceptional learning abilities in specific areas, and a resilient attitude of facing challenges with courage. These traits are particularly evident during the COVID-19 period. Observed from many examples of companies overcoming difficulties, NCKU alumni are capable of rising against challenges. President Shen highlighted that the glory is attributable to NCKU alumni that NCKU has been able to achieve high scores in various rankings. “NCKU continues to thrive thanks to the support and efforts from alumni,” President Shen said, “In tough times facing challenges in the world and the higher education system, NCKU will keep its spirit of perseverance.”
President Shen has personally attended almost all alumni events ever since taking office. He expressed his delight in seeing many alumni in Southern California. During an on-site media interview, he encouraged students to cultivate an international perspective. Even if not pursuing long-term study abroad, they might consider engaging in cross-border learning. Additionally, he emphasized the importance for young students to step out of their specialized fields and seek opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration.
NCKU Secretary General Wei-Cheng Lo delivered a school affairs report during the meeting.
NCKU Secretary General Wei-Cheng Lo delivered a school affairs report during the meeting. Director of Office of Strategic Planning Rwei-Ling Yu also attended the meeting, assisting in the organization of various school affairs data. Lo pointed out that NCKU achieved remarkable results in various evaluations in 2023. The future focus of promoting academic development includes strengthening international interdisciplinary innovation research and cultivating outstanding doctoral research talents. Additionally, there is an emphasis on creating a green and safe campus, promoting diverse student activities, and constructing collaborative learning dormitories. Furthermore, NCKU plans to establish scholarships in line with its mission to cultivate talents. For more details, please refer to the Giving to NCKU website.
Hsiao-Chung Hsieh (Department of Mathematics, Class 1962) was the first to donate to the interdisciplinary modular courses at NCKU.
Always low-key in contributing to the alma mater, Hsiao-Chung Hsieh, graduated from the Department of Mathematics at NCKU in 1962, was the first to donate to the interdisciplinary modular courses at NCKU. He made a special appearance to share the advantages of contributing to these courses. Hsieh and his wife, Ching-Chieh Meng, who were classmates, attended the event together. The interdisciplinary modular courses at NCKU annually cultivate over 1,500 elites with interdisciplinary capabilities. This interdisciplinary modular learning platform has also attracted students from more than 30 universities, including National Taiwan University, National Tsing Hua University, and National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University. It can be seen as the most meaningful and impactful change in Taiwan higher education in nearly 30 years. It is hoped that more alumni will continue to contribute to and support the alma mater, collectively becoming a strong backbone for the next generation of interdisciplinary innovation.
Handover of the CKUAASC presidency from former president Han-Kuan Tsai (left) to the newly appointed president Hsu-Min Yeh (right)
Former CKUAASC president Han-Kuan Tsai, graduated from the Department of Chemical Engineering at NCKU in 1997, stated that since the establishment of CKUAASC in 1968, the association has welcomed near 900 member alumni. In addition to regular alumni barbecue events every year, the association is well-received in the Southern California overseas Chinese community for hosting the annual bridge tournament, as well as the National Day Cup Bridge Tournament. The association also periodically organizes special lectures on various topics such as soil and water conservation, blockchain, and others.
The newly appointed CKUAASC president, Hsu-Min Yeh, graduated from the Department of Accountancy at NCKU in 1998. He expressed his commitment to not only continuing the excellent traditions of the NCKU Alumni Association, such as regularly organizing barbecue social events and bridge tournaments but also strengthening communication with current NCKU students through information exchange with the university. The alumni association will assist younger students who are interested in studying abroad in the U.S. by providing guidance on studying abroad and helping them integrate quickly into the local life in the U.S. The association will also offer some financial support and organize events such as alumni welcome gatherings and youth alumni forums.
Provider:
NCKU News Center
Date:
2023-12-22
