On November 27th (2020), NPUST celebrated its 96th anniversary, emphasizing its gratitude for the contributions made over the years and optimism towards the way in which the school’s heritage will develop into future achievements.
The university has a great appreciation for her alumni. And her alumni often make gestures to show that they, too, are very appreciative of their Alma Mater. This was recently demonstrated in a very palpable way by J.H. Tuan, an alumnus who graduated from the university’s College of Agriculture nearly 60 years ago. Tuan is currently the chairman of the very successful Hongpu Construction company.
Desiring to give back to his Alma Mater and express gratitude towards the school for the way in which it promotes arts and cultural activities, Tuan donated financial and technical support for the construction of a new reading room.
Located on the first floor of the Library and International Conference Hall, the jointly-created space has been named the “Hongpu Enjoy Reading Room”. The project, was successfully completed though the cooperation of Honhpu Construction and the university – with Hongpu fully responsible for the construction and hardware installations, and the university providing the furnishings. The unveiling ceremony was held at 9 a.m. on November 28—the day of the anniversary celebration.
With a stylishly sophisticated design, the new room provides readers with a comfortable and inspiring place to delve into their studies or relax in their off-time.
NPUST’s President, Chang-Hsien Tai, commented on some of the thought behind the project, stating that “in this modern era, people are spending more time on the internet and less time reading books. Since 2017, we have been working to upgrade the library and reading space – to create a pleasant environment for readers.” He expressed gratitude to the chairman of Hongpu Construction, J.H. Tuan, for the generous donations he made – not only for the reading room, but also the scholarships offered to students from families experiencing economic hardships.
Tuan also made some remarks during the unveiling, stating that his life is “very simple” and he feels a responsibility to give back to society in a “sincere and straightforward way”. He also hopes that many people will take advantage of the university’s abundant reading resources and that they can help to bridge the gap between rural and urban areas.