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Alumni Associations in China; the Importance of having a strong alumni network

What is an alumni association? An alumni association is a group of graduates from a particular university who set up an independent group for the purpose of organizing social and university-related events. These associations often organize social events, publish newsletters, and raise funds for the university. They also serve as a way for graduates to maintain connections to not only their university, but also with their fellow graduates. Additionally, these groups usually seek to support and help new alumni in the local area, and provide a venue for which both personal and business relationships can be established between graduates of that particular university. 

The one concern for parents and students is that if the student pursues their university education in a foreign country, the student will not have the opportunity to establish social and business contacts in China. Although there is some truth in this, it does not take into account that certain US universities have huge numbers of Chinese students and because these Chinese students find themselves in a foreign country and needing the help of their peers, very often, the bonds that they establish with one another are often deeper that the ties built between students studying locally. 

Upon graduation, many of these same students return to China to start their careers. During their professional lives, they continue to help and support the friends they made in university both socially and professionally. For this reason, it is very important that Chinese students do not overlook the strength of the alumni network of US universities here in China. US universities with strong alumni networks in China include: University of Southern California, New York University, University of Michigan, Boston University, Michigan State University, University of Illinois, Purdue University, University of Texas-Austin, Indiana University.