Pao School Alumni Return to Campus

On June 16th, the school held its first Alumni Homecoming, with over 100 alumni returning to campus for a day of reunion and sharing. After much time away, with many unable to return to China over the past few years, the alumni were all excited to see friends and visit their old home on Songjiang campus. The event, which was organised by the Alumni Office, hosted a wide variety of events, including a BBQ, socials and bonding opportunities with alumni and staff, a career insights panel, a chance to share guidance with current students, and a charity football match. Though they have now left the school, the day was a special reminder that the Pao School community will always be a safe harbour for alumni and current students alike.

The event was kicked off with a speech from Mark Bishop, Executive Headmaster, welcoming back the alumni to their old home and reflecting on what it means to be an alum of Pao School – including the enduring bonds of friendship that last after graduation.

As the Pao School alumni community matures, more and more are returning to China to make their own contributions to the country. Therefore, early in the day, the alumni were offered a career insights panel, giving them the chance to learn from industry experts and a fellow Pao School alumni about entering the workforce in China. The panel gave alumni the chance to hear from several guest speakers, including John Zhang, Corning Asia President; Steven Au Yeung, EY China Central Consulting Lead; and Zixuan Wang, Qing Venture, from the Class of 2018. The panel not only gave alumni a chance to engage with those who have vital industry expertise but also explore more into their options for the future.

Next, the alumni were welcomed to join regional meetings with one another, allowing them to gather based on the location of their university. As the alumni graduating classes now span from 2017-2023, numbers are growing in locations throughout the world. Therefore, the meetings gave the alumni a chance to consider how to collaborate with one another in the future and build their connections globally. As many have now graduated from their further studies, or will shortly graduate, these bonds grow ever more important as alumni join the workforce and start their own companies.

In the early afternoon, the alumni were invited to take part in a college conversations event, during which they met with Year 11 students to share their experiences and guidance. The alumni represented over 50 different top institutions from around the world, including the US, UK, Canada, Hong Kong (China), France and Japan. Throughout the conversations, the alumni shared first-hand insight into their experiences studying abroad and guidance that comes from the shared perspective of a former Pao School student. For the Year 11s, this information was extremely valuable, as it gave them the chance to learn more about their upcoming university application and decision-making process.

One of the core principles of the school is in building compassionate and socially minded individuals, with the hope that when they leave the school gates they will continue to contribute back to society. A realisation of this goal was reflected in the plans for homecoming, during which Matthew and Marshall Wong (Class of ‘22) arranged an Alumni-Staff football match and lucky draw to raise funds for a rural school in Sichuan province – which holds a long-standing relationship with View from the Peak, a charity created by Pao School families. The donations from the match will be used to purchase school supplies and sports equipment, award scholarships and bursaries, and improve the overall learning and accommodation environment for the school.