On October 20, the welcome party of the WHU Student English Correspondent Group (SECG) was hosted in the conference hall of the International Exchange and Service Center. A total of 70 members of the SECG attended the party, with 39 of them newly recruited to the group this year. The event was divided into three stages: an opening speech by the group’s advisor, Sylvia Schroeder, an overview of the SECG’s work, and ice-breaking games with the attendees.
Group photo of the Wuhan University SECG
Sylvia, the advisor to the SECG, delivered a heartfelt speech, extending a warm welcome to all newcomers. “2023 is the year when SECG welcomes its largest number of new members since 2019,” she enthusiastically noted. “It’s such a pleasure to see some international members this year.” Addressing the journalist team, Sylvia emphasized that news reporting is not only about being an ‘informer’ but also about being an ‘engager’ - “as ‘informers’, you will be translating and reporting on news and events. As ‘engagers’, you will be entering into communication with the world, which is not simply about telling stories but about telling engaging stories that matter to people. Your reporting is therefore about engaging your reader in your stories and drawing them into a conversation with you through your stories.”
Sylvia, the advisor to the SECG, delivering a speech
Following this, the president and team leaders of the SECG introduced the basic work schedule of the organization and the various teams’ members, respectively. This introduction provided members with valuable insight into the SECG’s background, organizational structure, and working mechanism. Li Jing, the president of the SECG, outlined future work plans and shared her hopes for the SECG to adopt more articles from international students and enhance the diversity of its news reporting through new forms of vlogs and short videos.
Li Jing, the president of the SECG, delivering a speech
The atmosphere of the meeting heated up as members engaged in various ice-breaking activities. One such game, “I Love Remembering Names”, facilitated quick connections among new members and their peers. Another activity, a quiz concerning basic information and work guidelines of the SECG, helped participants become more familiar with their team and their work. With new members from a broader range of departments, nations, and grades, the SECG is evidently bursting with new energy.
Members of the SECG playing ice-breaking games
The WHU Student English Correspondent Group was established in March 2014 and was registered as a university-level association in 2019. The organization is responsible for maintaining WHU’s official English website, showcasing the university’s public image through original news reporting, publicity and photography, and organizing overseas exchange activities. Looking ahead, the SECG will continue to contribute to the development of a more internationalized and diverse image of Wuhan University on the global stage.
Photo by Zhang Rong
Edited by Wang Yihan, Liang Tong, Cao Hangqian, Sylvia, Xi Bingqing
