Since the launch of the Alumni Ambassador Scheme (AAS) in 2003, over 1,400 alumni have joined up and exemplified the “Caring by Serving” spirit by providing voluntary services to their Alma Mater.
This issue we continue to feature the Alumni Ambassadors’ Stories Collection. Let’s tune in the stories of our Alumni Ambassadors, Arnold Leung (Mentor of Graduate Mentors Scheme of Department of Applied Social Studies), Lau Pui Yi (Singapore Alumni Ambassador) and Brave Chan (Member of the Board of Advisors for Alumni Ambassador Scheme) and learn their impressive voluntary service experiences!

Like a second home to Karmen, CityU has a special place in the heart of the former SU President turned Convocation Chairman. The vibrant campus life has a far-reaching impact on her personal growth.

Since taking up the office last year, she has joined an array of University events on behalf of the Convocation, including Student Orientation, CityU Banquet and the delegation for the Standard Chartered Marathon. And through organising such Convocation activities as the Alumni Summer Camp and the Reunion for Ex-SU Leaders with the ARO and Students’ Union, plus diverse local and overseas alumni events, Karmen has been delighted to witness the growth of the alumni family.

Yet, uniting an alumni family that continues to grow each year is a challenging task. Being the Chairman of Convocation representing the strong alumni community, Karmen upholds the values of “embracing diversity, respecting difference and uniting as a whole” to strengthen the alumni network.

She has led her SC comrades to devise e-communication platforms such as Facebook and a homepage to reach out to different segments of the alumni community whether they are in Hong Kong or far afield.

Being an eco-enthusiast, Karmen aspires to bring together like-minded eco-conscious alumni to enhance the environmental awareness of the CityU community. A recent stride is the launch of a green corner on the Convocation homepage in which green tips are updated to promote green ideals. She also encourages fellow alumni to share their green tips and ideas through the e-platform.

She also encourages alumni to support the strategic initiatives of the University, student development and alumni activities through contributing to the fundraising initiative of the Convocation Fund. One of such includes the recent appeal that encourages alumni to donate the $6,000 handout from the government.

Karmen is grateful to have the genuine support, trust and encouragement of alumni and University friends who help realise her vision.

Get tips to steer towards career goal at “Convocation Talk – Career Navigator” (Saturday, 24 Sep, 3pm)

Get tips on how to achieve your career goals at Convocation Talk – Career Navigator, being held at 3pm on 24 September (Saturday) on the campus. Embracing the caring spirit to nurture the next generation, the CityU Convocation is organising this seminar to help aspiring alumni navigate the labyrinth of the job market. The two key speakers are Dr Ricky Szeto Wing-fu (司徒永富博士), the Executive Director of Hung Fook Tong Holdings Ltd and CityU alumnus Mr Chris Chan (陳康成先生) (2004 BEng in Computer Engineering), a promising apps writer of the post-80s generation and founder of software development company IGPSD Ltd. They will share their experiences to offer advice and insights on steering towards career goals. Register now to attend the seminar! Those registered by 12 September will enjoy an early-bird discount rate at $50. Refreshment will be provided. Check out the details HERE.

The Hong Kong Association of Graduate Recruiters (HKAGR) now invites our students to attend the “HKAGR Careers Fair” in September 2011.  Details are as follows:

Date :   Saturday 10th September 2011
Time:   10.00am – 4.00pm
Venue: Innocentre, 72 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong, Kowloon.

This is a unique event where local university students can access Hong Kong’s top graduate employers across a range of industries including the financial, professional services and consumer brands sectors.   Over 1,000 vacation internships and long term graduate employment opportunities are provided.  Student pre-registration is required.

Visit HKAGR official website www.hkcareersfair.com for the event details and to register!

You can also go to Hkagr Careers Fair on Facebook for the registration link and keep updated on the fair and learn more about the exhibitors from there.

Best regards,

Career and Internship Office
City University of Hong Kong

Two stalwarts of the CityU Alumni Ambassador Scheme gave their time to offer advice to new entrants at the Pre-arrival Orientation Session for Mainland Foundation Year Students held on 30 July in Beijing and Shanghai respectively.

Organised by the Mainland and External Affairs Office (International and Non-local Students), the Beijing session featured Yvonne Liu (BSc Computing Mathematics) who shared her memorable studying experiences at CityU with some 90 CityU entrants and their parents, while Dr Aflred Zhu (BEng in Electronic and Communication Engineering) shared his experiences with over 100 newly-admitted students and their parents in Shanghai. The students were impressed by the enthusiasm of the alumni leaders and the well-developed alumni networks of the University in the Mainland.

Go green – Get green tips and share your eco-tips at Convocation homepage

The Convocation is committed to promoting environmental protection. To support the sustainability efforts of our alma mater and to enhance the eco-consciousness of fellow students and alumni, Standing Committee members have initiated a green corner at the Convocation homepage in which green tips will be updated regularly. Be creative and we can make our world greener and sustainable! Fellow alumni are welcome to share their eco-ideas with the CityU community. Click here to share your green tips!

Dear fellow alumni, The Convocation wishes you a joyful and heart-warming Mid-Autumn Festival with your family and friends! Karmen Chan Chairman of the Convocation 親愛的城大校友： 評議會祝願大家有一個愉快及人月團圓的中秋佳節! 評議會主席 陳嘉雯

Luke是城大（前身為城市理工學院）社會行政學系的首屆畢業生。一說起母校，他就滔滔不絕：「當時校舍位於旺角中心，我和其他同學常於平台花園及學生餐廳留連，在那裡討論功課、打橋牌等，留下不少快樂回憶。」由於大學座落於商場之中，人來人往，在地理環境上便利他接觸社會、觀察人情百態，很符合他所修讀的社會學課程。

「我班同學感情十分要好，約定了每年七月舉行周年聚會，每次聚會出席人數達十多人。我們剛於上月見過面，還帶了些在學時期的舊照出來供大家分享，並緬懷一番。畢業至今二十多年，由交換工作情報到交流育兒心得，我們一起成長、經歷不同的人生階段，感情很真摯牢固。」

談到在城大最難忘的事，Luke說：「在八九年六四民運的日子，我正要面對畢業試。當年同學因事件心情大受影響，向校方要求特別安排。結果，大學舉辦了兩次考試，一次在六月，一次在八月，校方的安排很體恤同學的需要。」

畢業一年後，他到英國進修社會政策碩士課程。學成歸來，他先後當過公營機構行政人員及香港政府政務官，卻因發現政府的環境不太適合自己的性格，就重操故業。有一次，他在教育職業博覽中看到美國加州飲食學院招生，就很雀躍，憶起自己一直想當廚師的抱負，毅然放下薪高糧準的院校行政工作，圓學廚之夢。

友儕多羨慕他可以自由選擇自己喜歡做的事，也有人勸他三思，認為這樣放棄太多，怕他會後悔。Luke卻不以為然：「我永遠不知道前面有什麼在等著我，所以也說不上是什麼犧牲吧。」

當他在美國攻讀廚藝時，發現過往的行政管理知識和訓練對其學習很有幫助。「學校想訓練的不只是廚子，而是廚師。課程要求同學學習計算份量、成本，及認識法律責任等，因此，我以前在行政管理上的經驗倒可大派用場。」他以優異成績畢業，回港後學以致用，於酒店擔任西餐廚師。後來，他想將自己以往所學的結合為學術研究，遂重返校園，修讀博士學位，其論文的題目為《廚師如何利用食物建立身份》。

現時在香港一所大學擔任講師的Luke，常有機會接觸學生。他鼓勵年青人要多做夢，並且要做一些大夢：「我曾經問過學生有什麼夢想，他告訴我他的夢想是置業。這沒有什麼不好的，只是太過實際，我期望他能有更大更遠的夢想，探索更廣闊的世界。因為夢想通常都是遙不可及的，且是較難實踐，卻是生活的原動力。」

作為一個受過廚藝專業訓練的社會學者，Luke於今年五月出版了《吃掉社會—走出廚房看世界》，透過他的學術知識及在餐飲業中的實戰經驗，以一系列文章探討飲食與社會之間的關係。