On the afternoon of November 5, the 47th lecture of the “Broad Vision in Management — SEM Alumni Forum” was held in Room 312 of the Economics and Management Building. Zhang Xiaodong, a USTB alumnus from the 1983 Management class and former Director and President of Shenzhen Gas Corporation Ltd., was invited to give a talk titled “Undergraduates’ Choice of Major and an Introduction to the Urban Gas Industry.” The lecture was moderated by Wu Sen, Secretary of the School Party Committee.
Secretary Wu Sen extended a warm welcome to alumnus Zhang Xiaodong as the guest of this session of the Alumni Forum and introduced his background to the faculty and students.
During his hour-and-a-half talk, alumnus Zhang Xiaodong, centering on the theme “Undergraduates’ Choice of Major and an Introduction to the Urban Gas Industry,” systematically explained how the choice of major has evolved across different eras and the current state of development of the urban gas industry. Beginning with a historical review, he analyzed the impact of the demographic dividend, the reform dividend and the peace dividend on the employment environment since the reform and opening up, and pointed out both the opportunities and challenges facing today’s college students in choosing their majors. Drawing on the evolution of the Industrial Revolution, he traced the rise and fall of industries and the shifting of hot majors, encouraging students to take national strategy as their guide so that their personal development would run in the same direction and at the same pace as the needs of the times.
Alumnus Zhang Xiaodong engaged in in-depth exchanges with the students and, drawing on his own experience and insights into the industry, answered their questions in detail. Addressing the young students, he offered five down-to-earth and inspiring pieces of advice on personal growth — study hard, keep fit, cultivate hobbies, enjoy youth, and integrate into society — providing practical yet warm guidance for their academic planning and life development.
At the conclusion of the lecture, Secretary Wu Sen, on behalf of the School, expressed her heartfelt thanks to alumnus Zhang Xiaodong for his inspiring talk. She noted that, drawing on his rich practical experience, Zhang Xiaodong had given a profound analysis of the industry’s development while also showing concern for the growth and development of young people, bringing deep inspiration to the faculty and students and fully demonstrating the sense of responsibility and professionalism of SEM alumni. She emphasized that the “Broad Vision in Management — SEM Alumni Forum” has always been committed to building a high-quality exchange platform, and that by pooling alumni resources and conveying cutting-edge insights, it continuously broadens students’ professional horizons and supports the cultivation of composite talent for the new era. She expressed her hope that more alumni would return to their alma mater to work hand in hand with the School to jointly promote development and create the future together.
