On January 4, 2013, a presentation ceremony for the coveted Xiangrong Education Scholarship Awards was held in room NC202 on the NIT campus. In attendance were Fei Yingqin, Party Secretary of NIT, Professor Xie Xinyu, leaders of the Xiangrong Education Foundation, teacher and student representatives, as well as the scholarship recipients.
The Xiangrong Education Foundation was established to honor the memory of the late Professor Zhu Xiangrong, a former vice-president of NIT. The Foundation, which consists of Zhus family, friends, students, related departments, and other individuals, is dedicated to inspiring and supporting advancements in education in present and future generations.
During the ceremony, Professor Xie spoke about how funds provided by the Foundation are managed and used. Associate Professor Fang Pengfei, a former student of Professor Zhu, recalled his life story. Professor Zhu, who was one of NITs original founders, made significant contributions to its development. Zhu was known as a down-to-earth and practical man who applied rigorous standards to academic research. He concerned himself with students as well as teachers, forging profound friendships along the way.
Jin Shuying, one of the top ten student recipients of the award, paid homage to Professor Zhu and expressed gratitude to Foundation donors on behalf of those who won the education scholarship. Jin added that recipients would thereby inherit Zhus spirit and determination to study hard in college and be unyielding in life.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, Party Secretary Fei remarked that the Xiangrong Education Foundation scholarships convey more of a spiritual inheritance than a simple receipt of financial aid. He also expressed his high expectations for all NIT students.