Taking Expo 2010 Back to My University
After years away from my college, I went back to the campus because of Expo 2010.
When we launched the General Motors Official Website for World Expo 2010 Shanghai, we simultaneously kicked off our reporter campaign at major universities in Shanghai. The purpose of this activity is to promote GM and SAIC’s participation in Expo 2010 and our joint pavilion among university students. We also want to add fresh air to our team and thus introduce a unique perspective in reporting on our upcoming activities in 2010.
During the process of designing the website, I was constantly made fun of by my “professional” co-workers. They say I am rather “out” in terms of Internet lingo and trends. Although I thought at least I visit Facebook and use MSN regularly – I’ve made up my mind to “professionalize” myself. One way to do that is to learn about recent trends through the student reporter campaign and our student reporters’ unique thoughts next year.
Over the past month or so, our Expo 2010 team (aka the “GM Expo Girls”) has visited major universities in Shanghai, discussing Expo 2010 with hundreds of students. We have also talked about GM’s overall business in China and discussed students’ future careers with them. To be honest, it was a bit tiring. We needed to make our way through traffic jams to get to the universities, most of which are in the remote suburbs. Many times, we were not able to eat anything before the lectures and won’t be able get home until late during the winter nights. But the enthusiasm of the students always filled us with energy.
Students from each university kept surprising us… the passion of the East China Normal University students, the automobile expertise of the Tongji University students, the sensitivity to news of the Fudan University students, and the logical thinking of the Shanghai Jiaotong University students. We were totally amazed by these post-‘90 youth. (If you really want to know how good they are, visit our website to view their participation videos.) But the most meaningful part of the campaign for me personally was the stop at Shanghai International Studies University, the college that I went to and where I spent four years in the College of Journalism and Communications. I have to admit I was being a bit selfish on this point, but I guarantee that I will not be self-serving in the selection process ^_^.
It has been nearly 10 years since I left my college. I hadn’t had a chance to go back since returning to China after several years of study and work in the U.S.. It is Expo 2010 that took me back. I studied at the university’s Hongkou Campus in downtown. Now, the Songjiang Campus has grown up. When I entered the new College of Journalism and Communications building, I was instantly drawn to the editorial room for the House Journal. I was told that the once handwritten journal is now completely computer typeset.
The enthusiasm of the students was very high (as it has always been). Questions came one after another, as the students demonstrated a real interest in the campaign. Several of them recorded their videos over and over again to make them perfect. Their seriousness touched us all. They kept calling me “shijie” (senior alumna). Even though things had changed so much, I was immersed in the warmth. Recalling my internship experience at GM when I was a senior at the university, I had mixed feelings about now being here as a representative of GM. I am very proud.
This blog comes out a little late (I have been busy planning for the coming year!). Over the next few days, our top nine candidates will be selected. Let’s see who stands out and becomes part of our Expo 2010 team.
As the year comes to a close, I look forward to joining the students next year at the SAIC-GM Pavilion in the Expo Park to experience their excitement and drive with them to 2030!
I did not see my school where I had been working for 2 years. Pity.