Appreciation Banquet Brings Vicennial Memories Back to SCU Student Housing Center

On February 3^rd, 2018, SCU Student Housing Center invited former campus dorm residents back to school to a thank-you luncheon at Pu-Ren Hall, celebrating the 20^th anniversary since its foundation on February 1^st, 1998. All the participants, along with Soochow’s administrative heads and staff, shared their treasured memories of living in or managing the dorms with stories and laughter.

With reminiscent decorations of the old-time dormitory arrangements that brought back vivid memories about the dorms, the banquet not only showed heart-warming video clips and served tasty delicacies, but also offered a lucky draw with presents and souvenirs.

SCU President Wei-Ta Pan considered the days living in the dorm an important part of a person’s life and friendship in college and an influential factor that shapes a person’s attitude toward life. He also shared his own stories about sneaking out of the dorm at late night for some basketball games and nighttime snacks.

Former Dean of Student Affairs Ji-Ren Zhang pointed out that it was he and Shu-Fang Wang, Soochow’s Secretary General and Chief of Social Resource, that founded the Student Housing Center under the inspiration by his overseas study experiences in the United States. Back then Zhang hoped to provide quality services and a safe living environment so that dorm residents can study and live care-free. Wang also mentioned that other schools often visit SCU to learn from Soochow’s experiences in managing dorms, and invited SCU staff to train dorm administrators for them. Both of them felt grateful for everyone who had contributed to the dorm affairs, and they were truly moved when seeing so many former dorm residents come back to their alma mater.

All these progresses and achievements in Soochow’s student housing in the past two decades must be ascribed to the selfless devotion and efforts by numerous former and current students and staff. All of them, along with the Student Housing Center, have turned the dorm services into a long-term heritage with an inspiring motto: “We care for you, so you learn to care for others; we teach you about gratitude, so you learn to contribute.”