For the Decade We've Been Through
Apr 18-2013
——Sidelight of the BiMBA 10th Anniversary
In May, Langrunyuan looks more festival and joyful with greenery and luxuriant flowers in gentle breezes. Beijing International MBA at Peking University (BiMBA) celebrated a grand moment since its establishment ―its tenth birthday. Students of the first enrollment came, along with Chinese and foreign professors who founded the program ten years ago. They gathered at Langrunyuan on the afternoon of May 6th, to attend a wonderful speech by Prof. ZHOU Qiren, to participate in a magnificent celebration evening and to see off Prof. Justin Yifu Lin, who is to assume office in the World Bank. It was an unconventional and unforgettable "family reunion".
Back to classroom——attend Prof. Zhou's wonderful speech
"Economic Development and Entrepreneur", a lecture prepared by Prof. Zhou for BiMBA alumni, was scheduled at 3 pm that day on the second floor in Wanzhong Building. Before the lecture started, Prof. Zhou autographed his books as gifts for students.
Presided over by Prof. Lin, Prof. Zhou's "lecture" for began at 3pm sharp. The second floor of Wanzhong Building, which can accommodate some one hundred people, was crowded with audience. Students came in an endless stream until the back row of the lecture hall was fully occupied.
Starting by sorting out various origins of inflation in history, Prof. Zhou presented in-depth analysis of current economic development in China and put forward suggestions in terms of due contribution for entrepreneurs under such economic situation. The Q&A interaction after the two-hour lecture was heated, bringing alumni back to the classroom of the past years.
Happy hours——retrospection to the good old days
When the night fell, professors and students again united with each other at north rear courtyard of Zhifuxuan Classroom. Accompanying by melodious string quartet, they enjoyed the buffet dinner and shared experience of years. At 7:30pm, the party started at the yeard before Wanzhong Building. In front of the ancient-style building, JIN Wei, master of guqin, the oldest Chinese stringed instrument, played a famous piece "Flowing Water", creating an enchanting and friendly atmosphere for all the audience. As the aftertaste of the music lingered, two emcees, MA Hongtao of E07 and XIE Yi from BiMBA International Relationship Office showed up, presented a short commemorative documentary in honor of the tenth anniversary of BiMBA. Together, audiences recalled the past decade BiMBA has been through.
BiMBA went through hardships and trails in the beginning a decade ago. After the documentary, Chinese dean of BiMBA Dr. HU Dayuan shared stories about the establishment of BiMBA and invited the first founders of the program to the stage to give brief remarks. Their speeches won waves of applauses. Then an American student Jonathan from FT06 brought a violin solo "Hoedown from Rodeo", which received an enthusiastic ovation from the audience.
The number of international students like Jonathan increased dramatically at BiMBA, surging from the original 2% to 30%. Later, U.S. dean of BiMBA, Dr. John Yang introduced the ten-year innovation of BiMBA. He also invited executive vice president of Fordham University and dean of its School of Business Administration, who went all the way to attend the celebration, to give speeches.
As it came to "Friendship of a Decade", then a collection of video clips of the previous New Year Galas of BiMBA was played, as a tribute to the past years with great passion and enthusiasm. The audience burst out applauses, laughter and great jubilation, pushing the evening to a climax.
A touching moment——best wishes for Prof. Lin
Prof. Justin Yifu Lin couldn't help laughing when he saw him singing Taiwan ditty on the screen. The emcee went on the stage, giving a special gift to Prof. Lin, who was just to assume office in the World Bank. The gift was a slide show with background music, a collection of photos of Prof. Lin at work. Then, Prof. Lin said with great passion that he would always stay with Langrunyuan wherever he goes.
After Prof. Lin's speech, representatives from BiMBA HK & Macao Alumni Association as well as student of E00 presented their gifts to him. At the end of the evening, a large ice sculpture resembling “ding”, an ancient Chinese cooking vessel, was pushed to the center of the stage. Prof. Lin, together with representatives of participating classes, poured colored water to the ice sculpture with carved letters of BiMBA. All participants took photos before the glittering and translucent sculpture, feeling reluctant to leave.
