Logia Café’s Birth
If you want to build connections among alumni, what should you do?
Qi Yong, the initial sponsor of Wuhan Logia Café, also a shareholder in Beijing Logia Café, which opened on November 29th, 2014, thought it was of great need to open a unique café with more fun in Wuhan. It is a way to build connections among WHU’s alumni who still work in the city. After Qi expressed his idea in the ‘Friend Circle’ (an auxiliary function of Wechat), the proposal was forwarded among WHU’s alumni, many of whom consider it as a realization of their WHU dream. Before long, Qi received more than 300 joining requests from alumni. In order to select the most suitable candidate, Qi interviewed all those who wanted to become sponsors, on a one by one basis, finally choosing 76 shareholders. When asked about the criteria for selecting partners, Qi said that he chose candidates who were truly willing to dedicate to Logia Café, Wuhan.
The Logia Cafe, Beijing is located in Nanluoguxiang, one of famous ancient blocks in Beijing, and is now a favorite gathering place for the young WHU alumni who work on their careers in Beijing. So far, the second round of fundraising for the Logia Café in Beijing has been completed.
Logia Café’s Wit and Affection for WHU
Both Logia Cafés were launched with crowdfunding by WHU alumni as is shown in café’s name. Nowadays, crowd funding is not a novel notion in China anymore. The reason why WHU’s alumni decided to open an alumni café in this form probably ascribes to the significance hidden behind the form of crowdfunding. Rather than simply raising money, crowdfunding is also a convergence of all sponsors’ intelligence. Logia Café advocates freedom and equality, namely, every alumnus’ opinion will be valued, which is conducive to sparking imagination and fostering creative ideas. The investors are connected thanks to the mutual affection for WHU. Thus, the alumni, though not in Wuhan, would mail coffee beans, tea, music albums and books of their own from different parts of the world to the café while others who have easy access to the café may volunteer to help decorating the café.
Logia café also provides an entrepreneurial platform especially for the students with ideas who are still on campus. The alumni-connected platform could not only help develop novel projects, but also offer some creative thoughts and experience. In the near future, the books, albums, T-shirts and other products related to WHU and WHU alumni will be available at the Logia café.
"Logia café is something more than a café.” said Li Kai, one of the 76 shareholders, “We care less about the economic benefits but focus more on gathering the WHUers and strengthening the alumni mutual recognition. We are not so sure whether we can make it but we are determined, enthusiastic and ready to devote to making Logia café a better place for WHUers.”
Logia Café’s Present and Future
There have been and will be many anticipated fascinating activities both in Beijing and Logia Cafe, Wuhan. One recent campaign is that Luoying 3, the latest album of Luoying Album series, is being crowdfunded online and offline through JD and Logia café. Luoying albums, known as the original musical albums completed entirely by WHU students, well represent the spirit of WHU.
Qi and other sponsors are also planning to launch a live broadcasting system to show all the meaningful and profound lectures from Logia Cafe, Beijing which will blend perfectly the modern technology with WHU’s classic culture for Logia café.
There will be amazing events in the Logia Cafe, Wuhan, including “Football Night” which is definitely appealing for football lovers and cocktail tasting party held for shareholders to name the new drinks with WHU characteristics and design the new menu. There is also a “finding the 1893 coffee” activity, which aims to find the best-tasting coffee bean and brewing method to make a cup of coffee representing the WHU spirit. “WHU alumni’s coffee treat” is another featured activity. Every WHU student at Logia café will have an opportunity to push a button and the machine will randomly pick an alumnus from the 76 shareholders. Then, the student can communicate with the alumnus via Wechat and ask the shareholder for a coffee treat. All the activities are designed to strengthen the connection between alumni and students. “Logia café deepens my understanding of young people especially of the generation after 90s.” said Qi Yong.
Logia café is now recruiting the initial sponsors from all over the country to build up the Logia website. In the near future, Logia café will burgeon across the country.
(Photo by Yue Rao & Luoxi Zhang, edited by Sijia Hu & Diana)
