Alumni Homecoming of the English Department
By Doris Lee
On December 5, for the 95th anniversary of Fu Jen Catholic University, alumni of the English Department gathered at the Fr. Franz Giet Building for the annual Alumni Homecoming event to catch up with their classmates and professors, review the history of the department, and give support to the biggest event of the Fall semester in the English Department, the Senior Play.
The event kicked off with alumnus Frank Yang, the CEO of Vetti Gourmet Coffee, talking about his motivation to build the brand and the story behind the successful business. Vetti Gourmet Coffee imports internationally renowned coffee machines such as La Marzocco and Da Vinci, and they also offer barista training. Yang said he was deeply influenced by the professors’ teaching spirit in the English Department, and decided to pass it on through his brand.
The event kicked off with alumnus Frank Yang, the CEO of Vetti Gourmet Coffee, talking about his motivation to build the brand and the story behind the successful business. Vetti Gourmet Coffee imports internationally renowned coffee machines such as La Marzocco and Da Vinci, and they also offer barista training. Yang said he was deeply influenced by the professors’ teaching spirit in the English Department, and decided to pass it on through his brand.
Alumni and faculties of the English Department, photograph by Doris Lee, 5 December, 2020
The students from the Applied Computer Technology and Programming class also designed several AR (Augmented Reality) games and let the alumni and senior students get a taste of the newest technology. In the game “Christmas Art Exhibition,” gamers first watch a video about the painting on the first floor of the Fr. Franz Giet building then entered an AR game to answer questions related to the video. After scanning a MERGE cube, allowing the AR game to appear on the user’s smartphone, players can use their phones to interact with a simulated 3D scene of the painting.
The English Department has been trying to integrate modern technology and English courses like in Applied Computer Technology and Programming. However, Dr. Bichu Chen, the chair of the English Department, admitted that the department and college funds are greatly insufficient for a better environment integrating technology, English language and literature for students. According to Chen, “There is only $400,000 NT funding for the development of the College of Foreign Languages and Literatures (CFLL).” Chen said teachers want to provide a better environment for students to study, including buying software that can help the students in training for various fields, renovating the public restrooms in the LA building, and building a laboratory for cross-cultural research.
The English Department has been trying to integrate modern technology and English courses like in Applied Computer Technology and Programming. However, Dr. Bichu Chen, the chair of the English Department, admitted that the department and college funds are greatly insufficient for a better environment integrating technology, English language and literature for students. According to Chen, “There is only $400,000 NT funding for the development of the College of Foreign Languages and Literatures (CFLL).” Chen said teachers want to provide a better environment for students to study, including buying software that can help the students in training for various fields, renovating the public restrooms in the LA building, and building a laboratory for cross-cultural research.
Crew of the Senior Play, photograph by Doris Lee, 5 December, 2020
CFLL and the English Department are not the only institutions on campus that are short of funds. The CFLL theater has been struggling to keep in the black. The college theater provides students from CFLL a stage to perform. Famous alumnus Stan Lai even commented that the CFL theater is “the best place to cultivate dreams, art and team spirit.” The theater faced funding shortage because of infrastructural maintenance issues, such as wires and electronic devices waiting to be fixed.
This year the crew of the English Department’s Senior Play also paid a visit to the Alumni Homecoming, hoping that alumni can also have a taste of this year’s production Cleansed. Cleansed, performed at the Arens Multi-functional Conference Centre on December 23, 24, and 26, is a play written by British playwright Sarah Kane and set in an abandoned university ruled by a drug dealer named Tinker.
The Cleansed crew gave the guests at the Alumni Homecoming a little teaser. Taylor Wang and Benjamin Lin performed a scene of two lovers fighting for different beliefs. Even though Lin and Wang’s performance was short, they made a strong impression and raised the audiences’ curiosity for the rest of the play.
The event ended after two hours, but as Dr. Bauer said that day, “The English Department is and always will be another home for alumni, visit us when you graduate and we will be very glad!”
This year the crew of the English Department’s Senior Play also paid a visit to the Alumni Homecoming, hoping that alumni can also have a taste of this year’s production Cleansed. Cleansed, performed at the Arens Multi-functional Conference Centre on December 23, 24, and 26, is a play written by British playwright Sarah Kane and set in an abandoned university ruled by a drug dealer named Tinker.
The Cleansed crew gave the guests at the Alumni Homecoming a little teaser. Taylor Wang and Benjamin Lin performed a scene of two lovers fighting for different beliefs. Even though Lin and Wang’s performance was short, they made a strong impression and raised the audiences’ curiosity for the rest of the play.
The event ended after two hours, but as Dr. Bauer said that day, “The English Department is and always will be another home for alumni, visit us when you graduate and we will be very glad!”