By Nick Yates, ISB Communications
International School of Beijing (ISB) alumni include senior diplomats and economists, top sportspeople, respected academics, acclaimed authors and journalists, and prize-winning scientists. And now they are to be lauded by the inaugural ISB Alumni Achievement Award.
The ISB Alumni Association has proudly launched this initiative to foster a spirit of pride and loyalty, celebrate former students’ achievements and services, and encourage engagement in ISB’s Mission. The award recognizes alumni who are thinkers and leaders in their chosen field of endeavor. The recipients’ accomplishments and contributions shall have embodied the high expectations and values of ISB and positively impacted society.
Nominations are being accepted until the end of February, with winners to be announced in the spring of 2022. An award ceremony will be held during the annual ISB Alumni Weekend.
ISB’s Alumni Association continues to grow year after year. Counting thousands of former students, parents, and faculty as formal members, the organization provides the opportunity for alumni to connect with one another. ISB has 41 years of history, and its huge number of graduates are an asset to the school, giving back in ways that include offering mentoring, career, and internship opportunities to current students.
The new Alumni Advisory Council (AAC) is a volunteer group of 20 alumni serving as a liaison with the school. The AAC will be help organize the award.
Jerry Oldfield, who oversees the Alumni Association as ISB’s Director of Advancement, said, “This award will give ISB’s high-flying alumni the recognition they deserve as well as providing more opportunities for former students to connect. It exemplifies the school’s Mission to build strong relationships and set high expectations together for the best learning.
“ISB has always encouraged its students to pursue careers, serve society, and launch projects that they are passionate about, and anyone who has studied here is well equipped for success in whatever field they enter. Right now, the school’s faculty and Careers and University Advisors are preparing the current crop of senior students for their promising futures. Let the first Alumni Achievement Award winners be an inspiration to these current students and us all!”
With a quality education and inspiring international experience behind them, ISB alumni have gone on to big things. Sae-Rye Kim (Class of 1993) is a diplomat with the United Nations. Stephanie Zhan (Class of 2011) is a partner at Sequoia Capital and included in the 2018 Forbes 30 under 30 list of impressive young professionals. Joe Alexander (attended ISB from 1996 to 2002) played basketball in the NBA. Dr. Chin-Yin Tseng (Class of 2002) is a celebrated China academic including with the Dunhuang Academy and Peking University. Lawrence Chen (Class of 2005) is a filmmaker who has won numerous prizes at Cannes.
And the list goes on! To read profiles of some of ISB’s amazing alumni, find out more about the Alumni Association, or give a nomination for the ISB Alumni Achievement Award, go to www.isb.bj.edu.cn/community/alumni.