The BUddy Post – HKBU Alumni Affairs Office

The Ninth Distinguished Alumni Award (DAA) Presentation Ceremony was held on campus on 26 June. The four DAA recipients are: Mr Chan King-yin (Physical Education and Recreation Management), Ms Lo Koon-lan (History), Mr Stephen Yau How-boa (Social Work) and Professor Zheng Wanhua (Physics). A sharing session titled “A Dialogue with Distinguished Alumni”, was held following the Ceremony, during which the distinguished alumni shared their inspirational stories, wisdom and life experiences with students, alumni and guests.

Perseverance is the Key to Success

Hailed as the “Son of the Wind,” alumnus Chan King-yin is highly regarded in the windsurfing world. A former top-notch windsurfing athlete, he represented Hong Kong and won the gold medal twice at the Asian Games.  Following his retirement from professional windsurfing competitions in 2011, alumnus Chan embarked on his academic journey at HKBU, driven by his desire to make ongoing contribution to windsurfing. After graduating in 2014, alumnus Chan joined the Hong Kong Sports Institute as a coach, and took up the role of Head Coach of the Hong Kong Windsurfing Team in 2017. Throughout the years, he has been dedicating himself to nurturing young athletes in the field and leading his team to strive for good results in international competitions, including the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics.

Despite his remarkable achievements attained over the years in windsurfing, alumnus Chan recalled that he was frustrated by his initial failures in competitions. His coach encouraged him to shift his focus from “competing to win” to “competing to enjoy”. Since then, he was able to enjoy the process and has upheld this conviction.  Alumnus Chan further explained, “Facing failure in sports competitions is inevitable. However, I’ve learned that the more emphases you put on the results, the easier it becomes to lose.  What truly matters is staying focus to give your best and enjoying the process.”

Alumnus Chan has experienced seas of failures when he first engaged in windsurfing at the age of 11, he shared his tips for success with students, “Remember that life is full of failures, so never give up easily. Stay perseverant and success will be within reach.”

A One-minute Performance Onstage Stems from a Lifetime of Offstage Hardwork

Alumna Lo Koon-lan, a renowned Hong Kong performing artist, has garnered much acclaim for her outstanding performances in theatre, film and television. With a string of accolades, Alumna Lo is also committed to nurturing young talents. Alumna Lo, a History major at Hong Kong Baptist College, gave credits to her educational background for enhancing her skills in analysing drama scripts. She believes that studying history and delving into the lives of historical figures has stimulated her imagination, enabling her to immerse herself into the roles she played on stage.

While addressing a History student, she also emphasised the importance of attaining the necessary skillset in performing arts to succeed. She stressed the importance of respecting every role, albeit a small one.  She warmly shared with students her words of wisdom, “A one-minute onstage performance is the result of a lifetime of offstage hardwork, therefore lifelong dedication to one’s passion is paramount.

Hold Fast to What is Good

Inspired by the selfless dedication of social workers he met during his youth, alumnus Stephen Yau was determined to pursue a career in social welfare sector. As the Chief Executive of the International Social Service Hong Kong Branch and the Asia-Pacific Regional Coordinator of International Social Service where he has been serving for long, alumnus Yau has been dedicated to offering an extensive range of social services to various individuals and families in the community. As early as the 1990s, alumnus Yau expanded his social service offerings by providing child adoption services in Mainland China.

Being one of the pioneers in the provision of social service on the Mainland, alumnus Yau and his team encountered considerable difficulties in implementing the services. Nevertheless, his passion drove him to overcome these obstacles. Following a series of proactive measures, his team was finally able to establish a service centre in Guangzhou. Alumnus Yau shared his insights on navigating challenges with students, “It is essential for us to hold onto what is good and be patient when facing challenges.”

Having served the social welfare sector for over five decades, alumnus Yau still has a burning desire to help people in need. When being asked how to sustain his passion, alumnus Yau replied, “A true social worker could not turn a blind eye to social welfare issues. Once I become aware of these issues, I am always eager to find ways to tackle them. My burning desire never wanes.”

Greatness is Attained through Persistence

Alumna Professor Zheng Wanhua, currently a researcher at the Institute of Semiconductors and Director of the Key Laboratory of Solid-State Optoelectronics Information Technology at Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), is renowned for her groundbreaking research in artificial microstructure materials and semiconductor lasers. Professor Zheng’s research established key principles and technological systems for high-performance photonic crystal laser chips, fostering the advancement of high-end laser chips on the Mainland. Professor Zheng believes that Hong Kong is at the forefront in areas such as finance, electronics, medical technology, architecture, and physics. She also holds the view that Hong Kong’s solid foundation will promise a bright future and ultimately be able to contribute to the development of the Mainland.

Professor Zheng also shared her insights on the future development of scientific research. She explained that natural sciences are divided into various disciplines. However, the fundamental principles are common. There is always convergence after division. As such, future advancement in physics will likely involve collaboration of different disciplines in scientific research.

Lastly, Professor Zheng used the analogy of pearl formation to conclude her sharing. “Greatness is attained through persistence”. Similar to how a small grain of sand can cause an oyster to breed a precious pearl, individuals should not underestimate their worth, even if they may initially appear insignificant like a grain of sand.

The sharing by the four DAA recipients has won big round of applause from the audience for their insightful and inspiring stories.