The Alumni Link grew significantly during the year with the addition of a further 8,724 members, bringing the total membership to 30,030 at the end of March 2011. Two alumni groups were formed in the year. The Full-time BBA Alumni Association was founded by volunteers from the first batch of full-time graduates of the Bachelor of Business Administration programme. The Putonghua Association (Alumni) aims to enhance the use and quality of Putonghua in Hong Kong.
Alumni play an invaluable role in our activities. They provide successful role models and act as mentors for existing students. They also create a public face for the University, strengthen our ties to the business and general community, and work actively to raise funds for the OUHK.
Alumni Link talks
In 2010–11, the Alumni Affairs Office of the Public Affairs Unit organized a number of talks for OUHK students and alumni, covering a wide range of topics. Each talk was attended by between 200 to 350 participants.
Alumni Sharing Series
The Alumni Sharing Series held in May 2010 was well received by alumni and students. Mr Wilson Wat, Regional Sales Director of Dah Chong Hong Motors (China) Limited and an alumnus, gave a talk on ‘China Market Prospects and Manpower Requirements’. Mr Alex Lam, a certified Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) trainer and alumnus, spoke about ‘NLP for Leadership Skills’. Lecturer Dr Jack Shu and Teaching Assistant and OUHK alumna Ms Gladys Luk from the School of Education and Languages made a case for ‘Learning in Drama’.
Doctors’ Sharing Series
Specialist medical doctors shared health tips with students and alumni in the Doctors’ Sharing Series held in September and October 2010. The talk on ‘Cancer Prevention and Healthy Eating’ by Prof. Tony Mok of the Department of Clinical Oncology of the Chinese University of Hong Kong attracted a full house. Drs Dominic Lee and Kathy Chan, specialists in psychiatry, discussed ‘Emotion and Stress Handling’ and covered ways to relieve stress. In his presentation ‘Care for the Elderly: Dos and Don’ts’, geriatric specialist Dr Paul Shea shared guidelines for a long and healthy life.
Career Advancement Series
In the Career Advancement Series held in January 2011, Mr James Hong, General Manager (Marketing Division) of Sony Computer Entertainment Hong Kong Limited, outlined his journey from being a video-gaming fan to becoming a senior executive of a leading games developer in his talk ‘Electronic Games: from Hobby to Career’. Ms Dana Tse, Associate Director of Human Capital Development, Bossini International Holdings Limited, looked into the positive prospects for the retail industry in her discussion ‘Retail Industry Prospects and Manpower Requirements’, while Mr Raymond Ng, a certified Neuro-Linguistic Programming trainer and master practitioner, described how to ‘Make Your Job Interview a Success with NLP’.
Fund-raising activities
Showing support for their alma mater, OUHK alumni responded positively to the following fund-raising events organized by the Alumni Affairs Office.
A cappella concert
An a cappella concert in 2009 was so popular that a second one was held in June 2010 to raise funds for the OUHK under the Government’s Fifth Matching Grant Scheme. In addition to singing a number of well-known songs from the ’80s, Songbird, the performing group founded by ten former members of the Hong Kong Children’s Choir, offered tips on a cappella and invited the audience to join them in singing.
Handbell concert
A charity handbell concert, which was attended by 250 alumni in November 2010, was presented by the Hong Kong Handbell Academy, using traditional instruments such as handbells, handchimes and Belleplates. The concert raised close to $155,000 for the OUHK Alumni Scholarship and Bursary Fund to provide assistance to outstanding or financially needy students. The amount was matched dollar-for-dollar by the Vincent Woo Matching Donation Fund.
Royal chocolate-tasting workshop
This fund-raising event took place in February 2011 on the day of the Chinese Lantern Festival, the Chinese equivalent of Valentine’s Day. The workshop was well attended as participants took the opportunity to share a ‘sweet’ evening with their loved ones. It raised over $80,000 for the OUHK Alumni Scholarship and Bursary Fund. Many alumni pledged their ongoing support for the Fund for the next three years. The amount was again matched on a 100% basis by the Vincent Woo Matching Donation Fund.
