After travelling thousands of miles to set foot at the South Pole, two EMBA alumni from HKUST took off three thick layers of gloves in the ice-cold wind and minus-30-celsius temperature to rummage through their backpacks. All they wanted to do was to unfurl the HKUST Business School flag – a simple gesture, but one that meant a lot to them.
Yu Feng, a partner of a law firm, and Lu Dong, a business executive, took the HKUST EMBA for Chinese Executive program in 2010 and 2011 respectively. Both alumni have been friends for ten years. Yu, who had completed the program first, found it very useful and recommended it to his old friend Lu, who became an EMBA student in 2011.
Driven by curiosity, they went to the South Pole together in December last year to see the wonders of the icy world. Apart from taking camera in preparing for posing with penguins, they also took a flag of HKUST Business School with them. Why did they do that? They said they would not have taken the trip if they had not gone to HKUST.
“It was HKUST Business School that opened up our eyes and made us want to do things that we had never thought before,” Yu explained. “Unfurling the HKUST flag at the South Pole is our way of expressing our gratitude to our alma mater.”
Trekking in the cold and harsh climate of the South Pole was physically demanding and there were fellow travellers who became unwell on the way. However, the two alumni from the southern regions of Mainland China did not encounter any difficulties. They are strong and healthy with substantial experience in hiking. They also long to broaden their horizons and pursue their dreams, which was the major reason why they decided to take on the Gobi Challenge a few years ago.
Endurance challenge: passing the torch
The annual Gobi Challenge invites EMBA teams of business school students and alumni to complete a four-day, 112-kilometre race on foot. To be able to cross the boundless desert within a specified time and endure the relentless sun requires an unwavering willpower and a united team whose members look out for one another.
The HKUST Business School has been very supportive of the event, and EMBA students have formed teams to take part in the race since 2009. These teams of students, alumni and teachers all wish to fulfil their dreams of taking on the Gobi Desert.
All the “Old Gobis” (past participants of the Gobi Challenge) of the HKUST Business School have a passion, and they wish to share their experience of the race with their juniors and give them tips on willpower training.
Yu recalls that when he signed up for the race, the Old Gobis shared their training tips and gave them spiritual support to overcome the obstacles and reach their goal.
Through the Gobi Challenge, EMBA students from different classes became friends, and teachers and students who took part in the race together formed strong bonds.
Stronger connections with common interests
To provide more opportunities for Old Gobis and other hikers to get together and engage in physical activities, the EMBA Alumni Association established a Walkers’ Club for everyone to stay in touch.
Yu says the Walkers’ Club holds weekly activities in Shenzhen. Alumni also organize small groups for sailing and golfing enthusiasts for example, to connect alumni from various places who share common interests.
He feels that the HKUST EMBA program’s “small and beautiful” feature is one of the reasons why its alumni form such strong friendships. “Small” refers to the small class size of 50 to 60 people, a number that is just about right, whereas the “beautiful” program has given him a broader worldview and brought about a positive change to his life. Therefore, as proud former students of HKUST, he and his friend Lu came up with the idea of waving the HKUST flag at the South Pole.
In summing up their trip to the South Pole, both said they were “full of curiosity about the world and full of respect for nature”. It was the Gobi Challenge and the Walkers’ Club that had toughened them up mentally. They hope to pass this torch to their juniors so that all of them can chase their own dreams.
