The donation ceremony from Tsinghua-MIT International MBA Program Class of 2014 alumnus Thomas Shie to Tsinghua MBA Programs was held at Conference Room 306, Shunde Building on the afternoon of May 20^th, 2016. After his first donation of 1 million RMB in 2015 to support the development of Tsinghua MBA Programs, Thomas Shie made this second donation of 1.2 million RMB for overseas Marketing initiatives of Tsinghua MBA Programs. 

A group photo at the donation ceremony

Among the attendees of the ceremony are Professor QIAN Xiaojun, Associate Dean of Tsinghua SEM, ZHANG Lei, Executive Director of Tsinghua MBA Program, TANG Yunduan, Deputy Director of SEM’s Resource Development Office, YU Honglei, Director of Alumni Relations of Tsinghua MBA Programs, Doris Duoduo Xun, Head of Tsinghua-MIT Global MBA Programs, and CHEN Fang, Director of Corporate Relations of Tsinghua MBA Programs. Prior to the ceremony, a short video about Thomas Shie’s student life at Tsinghua MBA Program was displayed. The ceremony was hosted by Doris Duoduo Xun.

Professor QIAN Xiaojun and Thomas Shie signed the donation agreement

Professor QIAN Xiaojun recalled in her remarks the days when Thomas Shie studied at Tsinghua. As the Vice-President of the Tsinghua-MIT International MBA Class of 2014, Thomas Shie made great contribution to the class, and to the integration of Chinese and international students, mentioned Professor QIAN Xiaojun. At the start of the MBA Program, Thomas Shie also took the lead among all MBA new students to take an oath of corporate social responsibility. He was the host for several important events at school, including the New Year Gala of “Gathering Together in Elegance and Beauty” for Tsinghua MBA Programs, MIT China Lab Day and the graduation ceremony for Tsinghua-MIT International MBA Class of 2014. As the student representative with outstanding performance, he also shared what he had learned during the two-year MBA study at Tsinghua MBA Information Session attended by over 1000 prospective students held at Tsinghua Auditorium in 2014, said Professor QIAN Xiaojun. As the professor of Thomas Shie’s Ethics course, Professor QIAN Xiaojun was still impressed by his politeness, gentility, conciseness in speech and strictness on himself, all reflecting his well-preserved external and internal self-cultivation and down-to earth character. Professor QIAN Xiaojun hoped Thomas Shie would continue to make the same brilliant performance in his career as in his MBA study, and to follow and support the development of Tsinghua and his junior schoolmates.

In the following remarks by ZHANG Lei, Executive Director of Tsinghua MBA Programs, she said that as the youngest alumnus at the early stage of his career life making donations to the alma mater only one year after his graduation, Thomas Shie decided to contribute his first year work bonus to the development of Tsinghua MBA Programs. ZHANG Lei said she still remembered Thomas Shie’s quote in his remarks in the 2015 Welcome Party for Tsinghua MBA new students that “all rivers flow into the sea and many a little makes a mickle”.

TANG Yunduan, Deputy Director, Resource Development Department, Tsinghua SEM, in her remarks said that more and more MBA alumni began to provide care and support for Tsinghua SEM. Through examining the data of previous donations made by alumni to the school, she found that Thomas Shie was the youngest large-sum donator, and that he made the donation soon after graduation was a reflection of the strong sense of belonging and love for one’s ancestral country for alumni of Chinese origin. She also reported the development of SEM alumni donation work, including alumni’s contribution to the construction of new school building and their support for the teaching and researching work of SEM. Alumni’s donation is an important contributor to the tremendous achievements that the school has made up till today, which also reflects their deep feelings for their alma mater and the cohesiveness of the school. There is mutually beneficial effect between the development of SEM and the success of its alumni.

YU Honglei, Director, Alumni Relations, Tsinghua MBA Programs, talked about Thomas Shie’s participation in Tsinghua MBA Alumni Association Executive Committee. As one of the newly elected Executive Committee members among all the 161 members, Thomas Shie is an excellent representative, said she. She also mentioned that after 25 years of development of Tsinghua MBA Programs, alumni have been playing an increasingly influential role. They gained a lot from the MBA Programs at Tsinghua and felt grateful for their alma mater, so when they became successful in their careers after graduation, they continued to support the MBA Programs in various manners and made contributions to the alma mater, which was also the driving force for their continuous hard work.

Doris Duoduo XUN, as the Head of Tsinghua-MIT Global MBA Program, one of the staff that had made most contact with Thomas Shie at school, spoke about Thomas’ growth and throughout his time at Tsinghua. With his ancestral origin in Fujian Province, Thomas Shie grew up in Canada. After obtaining his bachelor degree with distinction from New York University, he created a high-end real estate agency in New York. After he graduated from Tsinghua-MIT International MBA Program, he jointly set up an investment company in Hong Kong. Doris said she was impressed by his silhouette when Thomas Shie first entered the school, and she believed that the valuable memory on Tsinghua campus would be with him for a lifetime.

Thomas Shie, in his remarks, considered the Tsinghua MBA Programs the best platform for students of Chinese origin to go back to their ancestral country, to learn the Chinese culture, to accumulate knowledge and to expand social networks. Thanks to Tsinghua’s education and encouragement, he is now capable to integrate into the Chinese society and ready for the future challenge. In his view, a person’s capabilities or achievements have nothing to do with whether he/she would feel gratitude and give back. As for himself, he is willing to make his limited contribution to the development of his alma mater.

At the end of the ceremony, Thomas Shie and Professor QIAN Xiaojun signed the official donation agreement, with Professor QIAN Xiaojun awarding a certificate to Thomas Shie for his donation. A group photo was taken to mark the occasion.

Professor QIAN Xiaojun awarded a donation certificate to Thomas Shie