Alumni bond for forty years: St. John’s University Northern California Evening Banquet Ends Successfully.

On March 30th, the Alumni Association of Holy Silu University in Northern California held a grand “40 Blossoms, Holy Silu Heart, Diamond Light for 40 Years” 40th-anniversary annual meeting and fundraising banquet in Foster City. During the event, a president handover ceremony was held, with Zhang Meiling taking over as the new president.

The evening was filled with warmth and excitement as President Lin Siling of Holy Silu University, Director Lai Mingchi of the San Francisco Office, Director Zhuang Yashu of the Overseas Chinese Education Center, Chairwoman Shen Yiling of the Global Alumni Association, as well as advisory committee members Zheng Guangzhi, Lin Shenying, Chen Zongyi, Executive Director Wang Kaizhang of the Alumni Service Center, Dean He Shuxun of the School of Management, along with nearly two hundred alumni and community leaders gathered to witness this memorable and hopeful Diamond Night.

The event kicked off with a performance of “Smiling Proud Wanderer” by the Fu Xufang Guzheng Ensemble. Outgoing President Huang Anli opened the event with a prayer, reflecting on the 40 years of achievements since the establishment of the alumni association in 1985 by Jin Haini. She expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to give back after 12 years of dedication, emphasizing the importance of remembering their original intentions and passing on the spirit of Holy Silu through the generations.

Huang also announced her upcoming resignation and introduced the incoming Zhang Meiling, expressing confidence in this compassionate successor and looking forward to the association’s continued success under her leadership. She specially thanked the designer and the entire organizing team for the successful event.

President Lin Siling praised the cohesion and dedication of the Northern California Alumni Association over the past 40 years. She highlighted the current development of Holy Silu University, mentioning its 69 years of founding, six colleges, 29 departments, three doctoral programs, and nearly ten thousand students. She emotionally stated the core spirit left by the founding nuns, “Love the students in front of you first before educating them,” already extended and inherited by the alumni, inviting everyone to visit the alma mater to witness Holy Silu’s growth and warmth.

Director Lai Mingchi started his speech with “Happy 40th Birthday to the Holy Silu Alumni Association,” humorously noting the significance of the President’s visits to the United States twice in three years. He praised President Huang’s active participation in overseas Chinese affairs and patriotic activities, highlighting Holy Silu’s strong presence in various community services.

Director Zhuang Yashu also recognized the Holy Silu Alumni Association as an indispensable force in the overseas Chinese community. She highly praised President Huang Anli for her long-standing commitment to community involvement and leadership, not only serving as the president of various organizations but also deeply involved in Lions Club activities. On behalf of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Commission and the Overseas Chinese Education Center, she expressed deepest gratitude to all members and hoped for the continued legacy under the leadership of the new President Zhang.

Chairwoman Shen Yiling of the Global Alumni Association also attended the event. She stated that upon hearing about the presence of the President and Senior Sister Huang Anli, she decided to fly to the United States without hesitation. She brought blessings from the global association and prepared red tea bags as gifts for the participants, expressing gratitude for the support of the Northern California Alumni Association. She sincerely invited everyone to visit the Holy Silu campus when they return to Taiwan in the future.

The event featured the playing of the Holy Silu school song and various commendations and donation ceremonies. President Lin Siling presented the “Outstanding Alumni Commemorative Plaque” to Huang Anli, and awards were given to former presidents Jin Haini, Feng Rongli, and Wu Yuping. Shen Yiling presented a congratulatory gift of $1,000, and Huang Yifan, the chairman of the Northern California Alumni Association, presented a commemorative plaque. Alumni and friends of Holy Silu donated a total of $20,000 to support the development of the alumni association.

The president handover ceremony was supervised by Director Lai Mingchi, President Lin Siling, and Chairwoman Shen Yiling, officially passing the torch to Zhang Meiling as the 41st president. She expressed her deep gratitude for the trust and blessings of everyone present, also presenting a crystal rose in appreciation of the selfless dedication of former President Huang Anli over the past 12 years.

The evening program was diverse and captivating, featuring performances of Chinese classical dance and Mongolian dance by the Yao Yong Dance Academy, moving dances by the Wind Feather Dance Troupe, as well as oral history sharing by lawyers Qiu Zhang and Duan Xiaolei with Huang Anli. Jiang Wenshan, an internationally acclaimed singer from Taiwan known as the “Prince of Folk Songs,” and currently the advisor to the Humanities Music Research Institute of the Asian Institute, stirred the audience with emotional folk songs. The enthusiastic performance by the Love Forever Band added vibrancy to the atmosphere. The event included entertaining raffle draws, bringing surprises throughout the night, ending the evening with a warm and festive atmosphere.