Sias University held its 9th Charity Banquet and the Unveiling Ceremony of the Sias Education Development Foundation on November 28. The goal is to build a platform for teachers and students to help students from poor families complete their studies. The chief guests included the Founder, and Chairman of the Board of Sias, Dr. Shawn Chen, Sias Party Secretary, Ma Jiansheng, Executive President, Wang Jialin, Vice President, Zhao Yuxin, and Vice President, Xu Shengdao.
The Charity Banquet included a cocktail party, a silent auction, a dinner, and a second auction. The silent auction attracted a wide range of guests and included donations of porcelain, traditional Chinese calligraphy and painting, book collections, art, and decorative ornaments.
At the dinner, Dr. Chen welcomed the guests and thanked them for attending the banquet. He said that although they were from a wide range of social backgrounds, their concern for those who are less fortunate brought them together in a common spirit of caring for others. He said that there were many students who still faced basic difficulties in life, and it was the kindness of people that aided them in their university lives.
Dr. Chen and Ma Jiansheng then jointly inaugurated the Sias Education Development Foundation. As one of the few educational development foundations in China, it will promote and improve the progress and development of philanthropy and education at Sias.
Following the inauguration, a video about students who faced financial insecurity, produced by the Sias News Center, was shown to the guests. This was followed by the second auction.
Over 6,000 students at Sias come from families who face financial difficulties. Sias pays particular attention to these students and helps them to complete their studies in various ways such as welfare activities, auctions, donations, and publicity through the official university website, microblogs, WeChat, and social media. The material and donations raised by these activities are channeled through the relevant departments to help students.
