On February 18, 2024 (the ninth day of the first lunar month in the Year of the Dragon), the “Harmony in Symphony — Jiaotong University & Renmin University 2024 Lunar New Year Celebration,” jointly hosted by the Jiaotong University Alumni Association of New York and the RUC North America Alumni Association (RUC-NAAA), was held in Manhattan, New York. Nearly 130 alumni and guests gathered to celebrate the Lunar New Year and enjoy an evening filled with joy, warmth, and festive spirit.
Yafeng Wu, President of RUC-NAAA, and Yanni Ping, Vice President of the Jiaotong University Alumni Association of New York, first extended New Year greetings to all guests and alumni on behalf of the organizing committee, wishing everyone a prosperous Year of the Dragon.
They explained that, at the beginning of the new year, the two alumni associations decided to join forces, complement each other’s strengths, and establish a regular partnership for jointly organizing Lunar New Year celebrations. The event was named “Harmony in Symphony” — “Jiao” representing Jiaotong University and “Ren” representing Renmin University. The name conveys the spirit of integration, harmony, and unity.
In their remarks, they noted that, as alumni, everyone is pursuing their own dreams in different fields, but here, they are all part of the same family — sharing memories of their university years and looking forward together to the future.
Yu Yougen, Minister-Counselor for Education at the Chinese Consulate General in New York, along with Consul Zhang Yi and Consul Geng Junwei, attended the celebration as invited guests and extended New Year greetings to the alumni on behalf of the Consulate General.
Yu Yougen praised the unity, solidarity, and enthusiasm demonstrated by alumni of the two universities. He wished everyone greater achievements in the new year and encouraged alumni to continue serving as bridges of communication and understanding between China and the United States.
Dawson Lee, Chairman of RUC-NAAA; Liu Jing, Vice Chairwoman; and Yue Jingsheng, Board Member, traveled from out of state to attend the celebration and show their support for the joint event.
In his remarks, Dawson Lee emphasized the importance of unity and communication among alumni and expressed hope that the celebration would spark new connections, friendship, and solidarity among the two alumni communities.
Yu Yougen, Minister-Counselor for Education, Chinese Consulate General in New York
Dawson Lee, Chairman, RUC North America Alumni Association
The evening featured a wide range of performances, including a high-energy K-pop dance by Echo Dance, a hilarious crosstalk performance by the Shuimu Crosstalk Club, and a captivating vocal performance by Shi Shang Qiuyun, a musical theater performer on Broadway in New York. Each performance was met with enthusiastic applause from the audience.
The lucky draw further energized the atmosphere, with fortunate alumni winning prizes and receiving an extra dose of good luck for the new year.
The KTV singing competition was another highlight of the evening. Singers Zhang Guangchen, Chen Yulin, Wen Zhe, Haixin, and Chen Zi won over the audience with their performances. Zhang Guangchen ultimately received the highest number of votes from the audience and was crowned the winner.
In addition to food and drinks, live performances, the lucky draw, and the singing competition, the celebration also featured several special activity areas, including a “Career Exchange Corner.” Alumni who had spent decades building their careers in the United States and younger alumni just beginning to make their mark in the workplace all took on the role of career mentors, generously sharing their experience and offering guidance and advice to younger alumni.
Amid warm wishes, laughter, and applause, the “Harmony in Symphony” Jiaotong University & Renmin University 2024 Lunar New Year Celebration came to a successful close. Participants said the event was filled with warmth and joy, allowing them to experience a strong sense of connection to home and to their fellow alumni even while living abroad.
The event was co-hosted by Xinyi Jiang, Vice President of RUC-NAAA, and Ruoyi Ma, Vice President of the Jiaotong University Alumni Association of New York.
The celebration received generous support from Qidong Baiyuan Howard Johnson Hotel, Xiangmei International, MY LOVES CRYSTAL, Gay Rosen, and U.S. Chase Realty, among other organizations.
Organizing Committee
Planning: Yafeng Wu, Guyan Liu, Yanni Ping
Execution: Jiayu Gu, Haoran Guan, Xinyi Jiang, Lingbing Li, Cuili Lu, Kan Luo, Ruoyi Ma, Zengye Wang, Min Wu, Yong Zhang, Yang Zhou
Special Thanks: BIZMEDIA for providing photography support
