Page 9 - Sphere No.7 (Oct 2002)

G raduation day was all chill
and thrill for Ma Enxi. “I
was so excited but also anx-
ious,” Ma recalls. “On one
hand I couldn’t wait to see the world in
front of me, but on the other I wasn’t
sure if I could handle it. I felt very proud
in my academic gown, clutching my
certificate, but it was also a sorrowful
farewell to Shantou University.”
For the now-CEO of three compa-
nies (two in the Mainland and one in
Hong Kong) those early doubts have
been put to rest.Ma is a textbook case of
success through hard work, a good
education and a bit of luck. Since grad-
uating 12 years ago, he has become a
captain of industry and he believes his
alma mater played a pivotal role in laying
the foundations of his success.
“Shantou prepared us very well in
theory as well as in application,” explains
Australia’s department of Orthopaedic
Surgery.
The list of distinguished graduates is
long. Another past student of Shantou
Medical School, Dr Cai Zhiming, is now
head of the Peking University Shenzhen
Hospital. He graduated in 1984.
Liu Qingsong earned a degree in
law in 1987. He is now a Judge in the
Guangdong High Court, and deputy
head of the Civil Court.
These are just a few of Shantou
University’s success stories. In the past 20
years, nearly 30,000 high-calibre gradu-
ates from its eight schools and colleges –
Medicine, Liberal Arts, Engineering, Law,
Business, Art, Adult Education and
Science – have gone into the world
equipped with a solid education and the
confidence to make a difference.
June 27, 2002 was another proud day
for many at Shantou University (also
GATEWAY TO
OPPORTUNITY
In just 20 years, Shantou University has grown from a seed of an idea into a
tree of learning where talent blossoms.
By Isabella Ng
Ma, “I have been able to apply most of
my knowledge to my work. I feel quite
lucky in that respect.”
Dr Zheng Minghao enrolled at
Shantou Medical College in 1978. By
the time he graduated, the institution
had transformed into a full-fledged uni-
versity, thanks to the financial backing of
Hong Kong businessman Li Ka-shing.
The education Zheng received helped
him thrive in the medical field.
“In those days, the facilities were not
as advanced as they are today,” he recalls,
“but the lecturers were outstanding –
they really put their hearts into teaching
and communicating with the students.
They taught us to be positive. It equipped
me to survive when I went abroad.”
After graduating, Zheng went to
Australia to study further, then to
Harvard in 1991. He is now head of
research at the University of Western
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