On May 18, the inaugural Global Alumni Conference of Renmin University of China (RUC) was successfully held in Beijing. Organized by the RUC North America Alumni Association (RUC-NAAA), a delegation of North American alumni traveled across oceans and continents to return to their alma mater, participating with great enthusiasm in the conference and a wide range of activities during Alumni Days on May 17–18. The delegation’s active participation received high recognition from the University.
Upon receiving the University’s announcement about the Global Alumni Conference, RUC-NAAA began preparations one month in advance and officially formed the North America Alumni Delegation on May 1. The delegation brought together representatives of the RUC-NAAA Board of Directors and Management Committee, representatives of the Canada RUC Alumni Association Board, RUC alumni in North America, and alumni who had returned to China from North America.
Wu Yafeng, Vice Chairman and President of RUC-NAAA, served as head of the delegation. Twenty alumni participated, including Li Shanquan, Honorary President and Board Member of RUC-NAAA; Hu Minghan, Chairman of the Board of the Canada RUC Alumni Association; Liu Quan, Vice Chairman of the Canada RUC Alumni Association and Board Member of RUC-NAAA; Li Xufeng, President of the Canada RUC Alumni Association and Board Member of RUC-NAAA; and Ming Cen, Vice President of RUC-NAAA.
A Return to Campus: Planting Trees for the Alma Mater
On the morning of May 17, the North America delegation first attended the tree dedication and plaque-unveiling ceremony for the “Beautiful RUC Along the Grand Canal” project at the University’s new Tongzhou campus.
The Chinese saying goes, “It takes ten years to grow a tree and a hundred years to educate a person.” In response to the University’s call, RUC-NAAA and the Canada RUC Alumni Association had previously encouraged alumni to sponsor trees as a modest contribution to the development of their alma mater.
At the ceremony, RUC-NAAA and the Canada RUC Alumni Association each selected a Eucommia tree and installed a dedicated plaque. The two trees stand symmetrically along the landscaped avenue, symbolizing the shared commitment and close bond between the two alumni associations, while expressing their joint wish for RUC to nurture generations of talented individuals.
Connecting with Alumni Entrepreneurs
On the afternoon of May 17, the North America delegation attended the annual gathering of the RUC Alumni Entrepreneurs Association. Li Shanquan, Liu Quan, and other delegation members were seated in the guests’ section in their capacity as vice presidents of the Association.
Professor Zheng Xinye, Vice President of RUC; Professor Zhang Jianming, former Executive Deputy Secretary of the CPC RUC Committee, Vice President of the RUC Alumni Association, and President of the RUC Alumni Entrepreneurs Association; and Professor Wu Xiaoqiu, former Vice President of RUC and President of the RUC Alumni Entrepreneurs Association, expressed their appreciation for the North American alumni’s return to campus as a group and their support for the University through concrete actions.
Following the meeting, the delegation also visited alumni enterprises, including Leyard Group, where they learned about the company’s latest development and innovation achievements.
“From Yan’an to the World”
On the morning of May 18, the North America delegation attended the inaugural Global Alumni Conference. Li Shanquan, Liu Quan, and other members of the delegation were seated in the guests’ section.
This was the first Global Alumni Conference held by RUC and was a landmark gathering of alumni from around the world. The theme of the conference was “From Yan’an to the World: Inheritance and Transcendence.”
From the wartime flames of the Shaanbei Public School to the intellectual brilliance of today’s global stage, generations of RUC alumni have carried forward the University’s spirit and responded to the challenges of their times with courage and vision.
“From Yan’an to the World” traces the journey of generations of RUC students and alumni—from forging ahead amid the flames of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, to building the University through years of hardship and perseverance, and ultimately making a distinctive contribution in the new era as RUC advances toward becoming a world-class university.
For the North American alumni, it was a journey in the opposite direction: “From the World Back to Beijing.” They returned with a global perspective and a deep-rooted connection to their alma mater, carrying their affection and concern for RUC across oceans and continents to join this gathering of the RUC community.
Long Shengde, a Class of 1954 alumnus and the son of the renowned patriotic military leader Long Yun, who has lived in the United States for many years, also sent a congratulatory letter to his alma mater on the occasion of the Global Alumni Conference.
In his letter, he wrote: “After more than 60 years abroad, I still often recall my days studying on Tieshi Hutong. The presence and voice of President Wu Yuzhang remain vivid in my memory, and ‘seeking truth from facts’ has become the motto of my life.”
Participating in the RUC Alumni Association’s Eighth Member Representative Congress
On the afternoon of May 18, several members of the North America delegation attended the Eighth Member Representative Congress of the RUC Alumni Association. They heard the Alumni Association’s work report and five-year plan, and witnessed the election of the eighth Board of Directors, Executive Board members, President, Vice Presidents, and Secretary-General.
Wu Yafeng and Li Xufeng were elected Deputy Secretaries-General of the RUC Alumni Association.
During the congress, outstanding alumni organizations and individuals for 2024 were recognized. RUC-NAAA and the Canada RUC Alumni Association both received the “Outstanding Alumni Organization” award. Huang Beiqing, Secretary-General of RUC-NAAA, and Liu Yuebing, Secretary-General of the Canada RUC Alumni Association, were both recognized as “Outstanding Alumni Affairs Professionals.”
During the subsequent Alumni Development Forum, Wu Yafeng and Li Xufeng each delivered remarks, introducing the experience and practices of their respective alumni associations to the University and alumni from around the world.
Connecting Alumni, Strengthening Bonds
The presence of the North America Alumni Delegation attracted considerable attention throughout the visit, and the achievements of RUC-NAAA received recognition from various quarters.
Alumni and alumni organizations from different regions proactively reached out to RUC-NAAA and members of the delegation, exchanging information, deepening mutual understanding, and strengthening friendships.
During the visit, Wu Yafeng and Li Xufeng also attended a special session titled “Going Global: North America”, organized by the Overseas Expansion Club of the RUC Alumni Entrepreneurs Association.
In addition to the group activities, individual members of the North America delegation participated in a wide range of events organized by different schools and departments, including the Global Alumni Academic Development Forum series, as well as alumni market activities, parent-child programs, cultural and sports events, and other activities held as part of Alumni Days.
From North America Back to the Alma Mater
From the frontiers of technology to the waves of global finance, from academic halls to entrepreneurial ventures, RUC alumni in North America have always carried with them the University motto of “seeking truth from facts,” striving for excellence and bringing honor to their alma mater.
This return to campus was not only a reunion and a remembrance of youthful years, but also an opportunity to reconnect, renew our sense of purpose, and join hands in shaping RUC’s journey toward becoming a world-class university.
Together, let us move forward and continue writing new chapters in the proud history of Renmin University of China in the new era.
