St. John’s University alumni welcome new college at UBC

Construction has begun on St. John’s College at UBC, fulfilling a life-longdream for graduates of St. John’s University, which was closed in Shanghai 44years ago.

Graduates led by the St. John’s University Alumni Association, Hong Kong, alongwith chapters in Taipei, Singapore, Vancouver and throughout North America,have collaborated with UBC to find a home for the college on the Point Greycampus.

Building on the success of UBC’s first graduate college, Green College, St.John’s will be a $16-million residential college for master’s and PhD students,senior scholars and distinguished visitors.

A focus on internationalism is the unifying theme of the new college, whichwill sponsor or offer workshops, think tanks, seminars and small conferencesfocusing on international issues. The college will also complement UBC’s newLiu Centre for International Studies.

The goal is to attract outstanding international students to create a trueinternational community that will enhance understanding and result in a strongcommitment to international co-operation.

“This international focus should help St. John’s College capture theimagination of the university. It will build a group of alumni with the outlookand background needed to promote future international co-operation andlinkages,” said UBC President David Strangway.

When the first phase opens in September, 1997 with 33 students, it will, likeits namesake, draw students from China, other parts of Asia, the West andaround the world.

Two more phases are planned to house a total of 178 students by Sept. 1999, the120th anniversary of the founding of the original St. John’s University.

Established by American missionaries in 1879, St. John’s University was one ofChina’s great educational institutions for more than 70 years. Since theuniversity closed its doors in 1952, St. John’s graduates, known as Johanneans,have looked for an opportunity to rekindle the spirit of their alma mater andits motto, Light and Truth.

Although they still want to re-establish the university at its original siteone day, Johanneans — whose numbers include some of the most important leadersof government, industry, commerce and the media in East Asia and around theworld — welcome the opportunity to continue their traditions at UBC.

Among the reasons that UBC is an ideal location for the college are its statusas one of the leading research universities on the continent, its strengths inteaching and research on Asia and Vancouver’s strategic location as aninternational crossroads.

The college will be consistent with both the historical character of St. John’sUniversity and the future needs of UBC graduate students.

Student admission will be based on academic merit and the desire to reflect theglobal community in which students from different parts of the world will learnfrom each other in a collegial setting.

Places at the college will be reserved for visiting graduate students, exchangestudents and visiting scholars from other countries. Links will also be soughtwith undergraduates interested in international issues, for example, thoseenrolled in the International Relations program.

St. John’s College UBC, will be financially self-sufficient. Construction willbe funded by donations from Johanneans and other donors, and a mortgage takenout by the university. Student and resident fees will provide funds foroperation, seminars and other activities of the college. An endowment willcreate scholarships.

UBC provided the one-hectare site for the college near the corner of UniversityBoulevard and Lower Mall, at Gate 6. Symbolically, the site is near the PacificOcean facing Asia.