A university with high admission standards, St. John’s University produced some of the most prominent figures in modern China. Among these were diplomat Wellington Koo, who represented China in the 1919 Versailles Peace Conference, Rong Yiren, China’s first billionaire during the reform period, Lu Ping, who handled Hong Kong’s transfer to China in 1997, I. M. Pei, a master of architecture, and producer Raymond Chow, the man who successfully launched Hong Kong martial arts cinema into the international stage during the 1970s. Education at SJU blended the creativity of liberal arts education with a Christian and Confucian derived spirit of self-discipline, hard work and public service. Following in this path, SJU graduates, calling themselves Johanneans, have brought fame to China and the larger global Chinese community throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, and were a crucial force in building ties between the country, Chinese culture and the wider world. — Excerpt from Johanneans: A Legacy of SJU, by Yang Wu, Johannean, PhD Candidate – Modern Chinese History.
On the occasion of the 15th Anniversary of St. John’s College (SJC) at the University of British Columbia, we welcome our Johannean founders to a unique and precious community of emerging international scholars during our anniversary celebration event held in June 2013. Over the past 15 years, over 1,200 graduate students and visiting scholars from over 45 different nations outside of Canada have called the College their home. By creating a welcoming and secure atmosphere for intercultural understanding, engagement, and exchange, the College aspires to carry on the St. John’s tradition and St. John’s spirit of Light and Truth.
Throughout this Anniversary celebration, we wish to express our sincere gratitude to our Johannean founders for their contributions to and ongoing support of the College. At the same time, we invite them to participate in the visioning of the College’s future, and to discuss ways we can foster the growth of SJC’s relationship with St. John’s University Taiwan.