News

Beijing Launchpad Event 2018

On August 17, 2018, the University of Chicago Office of Career Advancement and David Chenn (MBA '00) hosted the 2018 Beijing Launchpad event, in coordination with the University of Chicago Center in Beijing and the Alumni Club of Beijing. Over 80 incoming students, families, current students, and alums came to this year's event, making it the most well attended Beijing Launchpad to date. With the summer nearing its end, the Launchpad event served as an opportunity to celebrate the success and support of the University of Chicago's greater China community in this past year, and to send incoming and returning undergraduates into this academic year with a sense of community and purpose.

Scott Metcalf, Senior Associate Program Director in the University of Chicago Office of Career Advancement, gave the opening remarks, in which he highlighted the strength of this year's incoming class, and the opportunities that await them at the University of Chicago. Mr. Metcalf expanded upon the recent growth in Metcalf internship positions in Asia in particular, an increase from which the 31 Metcalf interns in Beijing this summer benefitted greatly. Yuan Ji, Interim Executive Director of the Center in Beijing, translated the highlights of Mr. Metcalf's speech into Chinese for the parents in attendance, and elaborated on the University of Chicago's long history of engagement with China and the function of the Center in Beijing. By joining the University of Chicago community, this year's incoming class will help continue a tradition of scholarly exchange that dates back to 1914. The final speaker of the evening, University of Chicago Alumni Club of Beijing President Adam Sun (MBA '98), provided advice from his own experience as a student at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, advising students to take advantage of the University's resources in their pursuit of greatness and to get involved in the community.

The remainder of the evening served as an opportunity for students and families to get to know each other and reconnect before the start of the school year. This year's attendees from the Class of 2022 came from a wide range of secondary schools in China and the U.S., and we were grateful to have students from outside of Beijing make the trip for this event. Throughout the night, it was clear that the University of Chicago community in Beijing has remained committed to becoming a strong, welcoming "home away from home" for our students, families, and alums.

The Center in Beijing would like to extend a thank you to everyone involved, particularly the Office of Career Advancement, David Chenn, and Adam Sun, and to wish our students the best as they begin this academic year.