The academic team

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On July 12, the Jiaoqiao Campus welcomed the alumni of the 2001 Finance Class (1) for their homecoming reunion. Zhong Xiaolin, Vice Dean of the School and former head teacher, Liu Jinfeng, former Secretary of the Party Committee of the School, and Gui Hefa, former Dean of the School, accompanied and received them. July in Nanchang is usually sweltering, but a timely rain fell just as the alumni arrived, easing the summer heat. Dressed in uniform white T-shirts printed with Reunite and Move Toward the Future, they traveled from all over the country to continue their two-decade-long affection for Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics (JUFE) on the familiar and warm campus.

 In the morning, the campus after the rain was filled with the fresh scent of plants and trees, and the alumni stepped into the Jiaoqiao Campus one after another. The newly completed teaching buildings, the expanded and upgraded library, and the renovated teaching facilities made everyone stop and stare from time to time; while the old buildings carrying youthful memories instantly brought back scenes from twenty years ago. The changes in our alma mater are truly amazing. We can not only see the power of time but also feel her vibrant vitality, an alumnus said with pride as he gently touched the outer wall of the new teaching building.

 They strolled along the route engraved in their memories. At the entrance of the familiar No. 5 Teaching Building, teachers and students took group photos side by side. The white T-shirts stood out prominently in front of the camera – this touch of white became the most touching symbol on the campus at that moment.

 Around noon, the alumni walked into Dingshixuan Canteen for a meal. The renovated canteen was bright and clean, with a much more diverse range of dishes than in the past. Someone took a bite of a new dish and said with a smile, The food tastes even better now. As soon as the words fell, another person chimed in, But I still miss the boiled snacks from back then – enamel bowls filled with boiling red soup, piled high with bean sprouts and kelp. The days when we rushed to grab seats with roommates after class are still vivid in my mind.

 The soft clink of dinner plates held the nostalgia for the old days and the affection for the alma mater’s warmth of daily life – even after twenty years, the memories on the tip of the tongue remained clear, just like those fragments of youth that had never truly faded away.

 In the afternoon, a special class meeting was held in Classroom 101 of the No. 5 Teaching Building. When the former class monitor walked onto the podium and just opened his mouth, someone called out Hello, Monitor in the exact same tone as back then. The alumni took turns sharing their recent lives and talked about the most memorable things from their college years: We reversed the score in the last five minutes of the freshman football match, and the whole class shouted until our throats were hoarse We always talked about our ideals late at night in the dormitory; someone said they wanted to become a professional in the financial industry... Every past story resonated with everyone, and many people’s eyes welled up with tears.

 What was even more touching was that the former head teacher brought a small surprise – the admission registration forms and the group photo of the whole class. Looking at their young and immature selves in the photo, then at their calm and composed classmates beside them, some people’s eyes turned red. The head teacher recalled the glorious days of Finance Class (1) back then with everyone. The alumni all expressed their gratitude to the alma mater and teachers for their earnest teachings, which had transformed them from inexperienced students into responsible members of society who could shoulder obligations and missions. Those days from the past now felt as clear as yesterday. 

 After the class meeting, the alumni continued to wander around the campus, taking photos as souvenirs at every place that held their memories. By the Jiao Lake, beside the playground – returning to JUFE allowed them to relive the four years of striving together. Before leaving, everyone stopped on the campus and expressed their sincere wishes: We deeply thank the alma mater for her cultivation and sincerely wish her a better future!