Presentations for summer 2015 student volunteer projects

A poster exhibition and prize-giving for summer projects by Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University student volunteers was held in the Central Building on the afternoon of 21 October.

Numerous posters were exhibited in the conference hall that illustrated the activities XJTLU students carried out during the summer vacation. Students were also awarded prizes for their presentations.

Some students participated in volunteer teaching projects in rural China, others took part in overseas projects through AIESEC or conducted research here in Suzhou. These experiences helped to develop students’ social skills and increase their knowledge.

The event was organised by the Student Organisation Support Centre and co-organised by AIESEC, and the XJTLU Youth Volunteers Association.

Chang Liu from the Youth Volunteers Association introduced their education support project in Liu De Middle School, Lijiang, Yunnan Province. She said that through their volunteer activities their perception of children in mountainous areas changed and that the experience had helped change their attitude towards life. She was awarded first prize for her project.

Zhengqi Zhang and her teammates presented on their research project into consumer psychology. Their investigation consisted of carefully constructed questionnaires on consumer products, and they spoke about overcoming various obstacles to obtain the required information.

Hangyi Wang and her teammates introduced a project on the differences and similarities between XJTLU and traditional Chinese university students’ vision of love. It focussed on the increasing trend of romantic relationships among university students in China and the evaluation methods assessed issues from the perspective of gender difference. The team also noted that doing this kind of survey work helps to improve the visibility of XJTLU amongst students from other universities.

Si Shen took part in the Explore China 2015 Summer Camp in Suzhou, which saw volunteers from 11 countries come to Suzhou to teach English and immerse themselves in the local culture. She spoke about the friendships and knowledge she gained from the activity.

Cuijia Wang, a second year student studying in accounting, went to Turkey and shared her six-week teaching experience with the audience. She said: “I was impressed by the warm reception given to us by local people, and I developed my English skills and became more independent through daily life there. In addition, the activities gave me a deeper comprehension of public welfare. It was really fantastic!”

Heng Ge, Deputy Head of the Student Affairs Office, said: “These community projects have a profound social significance, which is in accordance with the education principles of XJTLU - to create global citizens. Activities like this will undoubtedly help foster students’ social skills. We at the Student Affairs Office aim to help students combine the knowledge acquired in school with social skills in order to strengthen abilities they will use when they are employed.”

Photos: Hanye Liu; Jing Su