Date: April 26, 2020
Source: Xinhua News Agency
Author: Shi Longhong, Xu Hongyi, Zheng Tianhong

(Chen speaking as a representative of JNU's 2019 graduates)
Chen Tong dreamed of studying in the mainland when she was a high school student in Hong Kong. She applied to JNU and was accepted in 2015 to major in emergency management.

Chen said she had grown up very quickly in her college life. She still remembers how confused she was when she arrived at JNU in 2015. But with help from the school and teachers, she soon found her own pace. She was a volunteer for the undergraduate freshman training camp, class monitor and a member of the Students' Association Union.
 

(Chen attending the 2017 Outstanding Overseas Chinese Students Leaders Camp of JNU)

In her college life, Chen has entered competitions in essay-writing, public speaking, and innovation and entrepreneurship. She has also participated in extracurricular activities including the Student Leaders Premier Seminar of JNU and the Learning and Development Innovation Program for Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and Overseas Students.

"I have been to Beijing, Shanghai, Yunnan and many other places, which enables me to appreciate the wonderful landscape of the motherland and understand its national condition and history better," Chen said. "My college life at JNU is one of enrichment, during which I have made many friends, broadened my horizon, improved myself comprehensively and achieved huge growth."  

 
Last year, with her successful completion of the bachelor's degree in emergency management, she was named Excellent Graduate and Fruitful and Outstanding Graduate and delivered the commencement address. Then she moved on to pursue her study for a master's degree in the same field. "Pursuing dreams," Chen said, "I enjoy this journey a lot."
 

(Chen as a part-time counselor at the 2019 orientation ceremony)
As a part-time counselor, she was keen to answer and clear up Hong Kong freshmen's confusions, shared her valuable personal experience, organized tours of historic and cultural sites for them, and involved them in mainland campus life.

Since the Covid-19 outbreak, she has not only kept an eye on its prevention and control progress, but also actively taken such actions as participating in production of the Brave Angels and other two music videos, to pay tribute to the frontline medical workers and cheer them on.
 

(Chen recording a music video)

In her frequent travels between Hong Kong and the mainland, Chen witnessed the opening of the Guangzhou-Hong Kong High-Speed Railway, the operation of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge and the increasing development of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. These experiences deepened her understanding of the significance and value of Hong Kong’s integration into the overall development of China. If Hong Kong’s young people come to the mainland more often, she says, they will feel the vitality of prosperity here, and thus discover their prospects and their future.