Alumni couple Chen Xiaoming (right) and He Peixin visit Fudan University, on Jan 3, 2025. （Photo/Official WeChat account of Fudan University）

Five years after making the headline for donating 100 million yuan ($13.64 million) to Fudan University while choosing to take the subway to the school, alumni couple Chen Xiaoming and He Peixin returned to their alma mater last Friday and received a collection of 590 letters of gratitude totaling 400,000 words from student beneficiaries, People’s Daily reported.

Chen and He, originally from the rural areas of Guizhou and Jilin provinces, acknowledged Fudan University for giving them opportunities. “Thanks to the support of our alma mater, we were able to pursue postgraduate studies and study abroad. We want more children from poor backgrounds to enjoy the same opportunity to access high level of education,” the couple said.

To this end, the couple donated 100 million yuan to the university in December 2019, setting up a fund for financially disadvantaged students.

During this visit, the couple met with students who benefited from the fund. One of them is Huangfu Botao from Yunnan province, who received financial assistance four years ago as a freshman and is currently pursuing a master’s degree at the School of Economics. “The donation from the two elders is a witness to my growth through the years, from leaving my hometown to go to university in Shanghai and from finishing undergraduate program to pursuing a master’s degree,” Huangfu said.

Another beneficiary is He Ruiaoxue, a freshman from the College of Foreign Languages and Literature. She said the financial support relieved her burden and allowed her to focus on campus life. She is now trying to enroll in a dual-degree program, which combines a BA in English with a BS in computer science.

The students gave the couple a collection of 590 letters to express their gratitude and share their growth. One letter reads, “Teaching in rural areas and communicating with children who harbor dreams similar to mine has strengthened my determination to pass on love and warmth to others.” Another reads, “Despite the challenges and setbacks, I believe that efforts can transform lives. As your story has shown, hard work would bring rewards.”

Chen and He began their studies in the Chemistry Department of Fudan University in 1973 and finished graduate studies at the university under professor Deng Jiaqi. In 1994, the couple set up a company in Memphis in the United States, specializing in the research and development, production and sale of electrochemical measuring instruments.

Over the past five years, the fund they set up has provided support to over 4,000 undergraduates and 5,000 postgraduates through programs including scholarships, healthcare subsidies, emergency aid, academic development and exchanges at home and overseas.