The Alumni Relations Office (ARO) successfully held four reunions for non-local alumni in February – in the cities of Shenzhen (18th), Brisbane (23rd), Sydney (25th) and Melbourne (26th). Once again the gatherings demonstrated the close kinship and shared experiences of so many CityU graduates that bond us wherever we might settle in the world.

Special thanks go to our enthusiastic non-local alumni ambassadors for supporting the University’s international alumni networks, and in particular offering support to newly-arrived alumni and exchange students.

ARO is planning the next alumni reunion in Beijing in the evening of 26 May (Saturday). So if you’re in the region, please mark your diary and encourage your fellow alumni in Beijing and neighbouring cities to do the same! More details will be available soon at ARO homepage.

從一名社會工作畢業生到成為一名註冊社工，繼而加入新界社團聯會成為副總幹事，再成為該會的理事長，陳勇 (Brave) 說他一路上都跟關注社會民生的需要，結下不解緣。

近年，Brave屢獲香港特區政府委以不同的重任和職銜，如青年事務委員會委員、公民教育委員會委員、及現任北區區議會議員等。Brave多年來一直為社會作出貢獻，去年年中，他更獲得香港特區政府委任為太平紳士。Brave對於種種重視與禮遇，感到十分感恩，並特別感激城大給予他的栽培及教導。

當年，由進入城大修讀社會工作那刻開始，Brave除了上課外，還積極參與不同的學生組織活動。他當年曾是國是會會長和學生報中文編輯。這些體驗不單讓他吸收到課本以外的知識，更豐富了他的人生。他說：「在修讀社會工作的課程時，通過帶組活動，我學會統籌和帶領小組的要訣；再加上社工課程的獨特學習模式，讓我有很多機會與不同的人士溝通，加強了我的人際關係及溝通能力。而在參與學生組織活動的過程中，我亦有機會當一個小領袖，把當時課本上學到的知識應用在不同的事務上。」Brave認為城大給予他許多在踏出社會前的「試煉」，讓他在包容的環境下克服困難，提昇自己，為日後的工作作出最佳準備！

憑藉當年在城大培育成「周身刀」這個特質，Brave亦很興幸能從中找到其中一把「利刀」— 社工，並將之作為他的專業和職業，可以把自己的興趣作為事業，令他非常享受。在參與地區及社會工作方面，Brave很慶幸自己能遇到兩位「伯樂」，譚耀宗先生和張學明先生，他們給了他很多的機會、支持和鼓勵，讓他能投身社會服務。他希望透過自己對社會事務的參與，能協助推進社會發展、改善民生，以及促進社會和諧。

Brave去年在接受香港特區政府所頒授的太平紳士名銜時，謙虛地笑稱自己僅代表自己的團隊去接受這個榮譽。他深感榮幸自己的努力能得到肯定和認同。Brave引述孫中山先生所說：「政就是眾人的事，治就是管理，管理眾人的事便是政治。」Brave認為香港是我們的家，故希望每一個人都盡力為這個家作出貢獻。

作為大師兄，Brave認為80後的城大師弟妹可能對任何事物都懷有一份熱情和激情，竭力追求理想，但礙於經驗不足，處事時或許不夠全面，所以他建議他們可多擴闊自己的視野。他亦藉著參與不同的城大活動，如應用社會科學學系每年皆舉辦的「朋輩輔導」計劃，向師弟妹分享自己的經驗。Brave希望透過分享，令師弟妹能學會在表達自己的意見時，亦能懂得尊重和包容別人。Brave更不時提供機會，讓城大的學生到其任職的機構實習，以吸取一些實踐經驗，亦希望藉此回饋母校。他引用了《道德經》裡的「上善若水」去勉勵師弟妹，希望他們能保存「水的本性」 — 清純，但同時亦能像水一樣流到不同的地方，化作不同的形態，去擴展不同的網絡，最後集結成龐大的力量。

雖然身兼多職，但Brave依然積極支持和參與城大的各項校友活動。他是大學的校友大使，也是應用社會科學學系諮委會委員，也是校友會「城賢匯」的榮譽秘書。他更曾擔任校友聯絡處的校友事務及發展委員會委員、城大評議會臨時常務委員會委員等！他說：「參與母校的活動，讓我能接觸到不同界別的校友，認識他們的強項，從他們身上，我亦獲益不少；再者，這些活動亦讓我有機會去重整自己的思維！」他認為全賴母校多年來的悉心栽培，讓他能在社會上作出一些貢獻，而且透過這些貢獻為母校增光。所以，他本人亦會保持著「上善若水」的理念去繼續貢獻母校及社會。城大將邁進30週年，Brave希望母校繼續作多方面的嘗試，創出新的高峰！

More than 50 IS mentors turned out to inaugurate the IS Industrial Mentorship Programme (ISIMP) on 13 January 2012. They will be offering guidance to 150 students whom they got to know at the launch ceremony.

After an encouraging speech given by Professor Jian Ma, the IS Department BBA Programme Coordinator, the new ISIMP executive committee was inaugurated.

Alumni mentors were also presented with service award in acknowledgement of their contribution.

Convocation committee pledges commitment

The Inauguration Ceremony of the Third Standing Committee of the CityU Convocation was successfully held on 15 February 2012, attended by many alumni and University friends. Standing Committee members cherished the opportunity to share their mission with the University community.

Highlight of the ceremony came when SC members put their wishes in a heart-shaped time-capsule to signify their dedication and commitment to support the university’s development and serve the community.

To retrieve the joyful moments of the event, please view the online photo gallery and the report by the CityU News Centre.

You can keep abreast of Convocation happenings on its homepage and Facebook. The Standing Committee is looking forward to seeing you in upcoming activities!

Convocation Vice-Chairman Robert Lui shared his aspirations and mission of the Convocation with more than 140 alumni from Shenzhen and other Mainland cities when he joined them for the Shenzhen Alumni Reunion on 18 February.  Set under the theme of the Year of the Dragon, the festive event featured performances by seasoned Mainland alumni and a “Best Costume Contest”.

Convocation Standing Committee members Clovis Lau, Man Law, Gabriel Ho, Wincy Huen and Douglas Wong joined other volunteer alumni and supporters to cheer on 900 dedicated runners competing as the CityU Delegation in the Marathon held on 5 February. The delegation marks the largest ever team of runners from CityU taking part in the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon. Check out the details as reported by the CityU News Centre.

Four dedicated alumni, Mr. K. C. Lam, Mr. K. K.  Leung, Ms. Michelle Lam and Ms. Tracy Wong, were invited by Career & Internship Office to share their valuable experience working in the government as Executive Officers on 8 February 2012.  The session attracted over 110 current students and alumni having interests in launching their careers as government EO. The charismatic and caring styles of the speakers encouraged active participation of the audience. The interactive session ended with enthusiastic applause from the participants, who brought home with better understanding of the work nature and career path of EO, and more importantly practical tips on how to prepare well for the vigorous recruitment exercise.

City University Choir (CityU Choir) was founded in 1990, aiming at promoting and developing students’ interest in choral music.  The Choir offered members opportunities to perform and to improve singing techniques, and ultimately to enrich the cultural and artistic life of the City University of Hong Kong (CityU) and the society.  Members of the Choir comprise students, alumni and staff of CityU with a majority of undergraduate students as our core members.  In this academic year, the Choir was invited by Swire Properties to perform Christmas songs at the Festival Walk on 23 December 2011.

CityU Choir Annual Performance 2012 – “Golden Oldies” will be held at Wei Hing Theatre, City University of Hong Kong at 8:00pm on Sunday, 25 March 2012. To celebrate the 20^th anniversary of our debut performance, we will present you the most favorite oldies from 1940’s to 1980’s of East and West. The highlight of this concert will be the Hong Kong premiere of Helen Wang(王海玲)’s “忘了我是誰”. The choral version was arranged by Mr. Chu-Lan Kao (高竹嵐) of National Taiwan University Chorus / Blis-sing A Cappella Group to give you a refreshed and modernized feeling of this pioneering 80’s Taiwan folk song. The programme also includes other songs that you like such as “The Moon Represents My Hearts (月亮代表我的心)”, “Perhaps Love”, “El Condor Pasa”, “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing”, “Unchained Melody” from the legendary movie ‘Ghost’ , several renowned songs of the Beatles and a medley of the musicals of Andrew Lloyd Webber.

The registration period of free tickets will start on March 5 (Monday). Each person could apply for max. 2 tickets. and the places will be allotted on a first-come, first-served basis. If you are interested, please e-mail your name, contact number, course studied in CPHK/CityU/CCCU/SCOPE and graduation year and the number of tickets to a-choir@cityu.edu.hk. We will contact you shortly for the collection of the tickets. You are also welcome to visit CityU Choir official web page (http://www.cityu.edu.hk/choir) or contact Mr. Zacky Leung, President (2011-2012) of City University Choir (6429 2820) for enquiries.