Washington Area Professional Community Networking Picnic – August 25, 2024

Written by: Buyan Li

On August 25, 2024, the 2nd Washington Area Professional Community Networking Picnic was held at the scenic Rock Creek Regional Park in Maryland. The event attracted nearly 300 participants, making it one of the largest outdoor gatherings in the Greater Washington area since the pandemic.

The event was co-hosted by the U.S.-China Innovation Alliance (USIA), the Washington Chapter of the Chinese Association for Science and Technology (CAST-DC), the Chinese American United Chamber of Commerce (CAUCC), and the Sino-American Pharmaceutical Professionals Association – DC Chapter (SAPA-DC), with support from the Fudan University Alumni Association of Greater Washington and various other community organizations in the Washington area.

The event was filled with a lively and enthusiastic atmosphere. Nearly 30 distinguished guests were invited by the organizers, including counselors from the Chinese Embassy in the U.S., as well as state delegates, senators, Montgomery County council members, and the Director of Special Projects from the County Executive’s Office in Maryland. All delivered heartfelt speeches highlighting the importance of U.S.-China collaboration and called for mutual success, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation.

During the barbecue, attendees enjoyed a delicious roasted whole lamb along with a variety of other sumptuous dishes. The gathering offered a chance to share experiences from both personal and professional life, helping participants forge new friendships while strengthening old ones.

Xuan Xu, Vice President of the Fudan University Alumni Association of Greater Washington, D.C., served as one of the event organizers. She was responsible for coordinating and inviting experts from various fields to form a professional advisory panel, which provided free consultations to local Chinese attendees on topics such as education, healthcare, immigration, employment, and career development. She also served as the host of the event.

It is also worth noting that Jie Yong, President of the Fudan University Alumni Association, was among the members of the advisory panel. He shared valuable insights from his experience transitioning across disciplines into technical fields such as data programming.

The event concluded successfully around 3 p.m., after a memorable and joyful afternoon shared by all. As attendees bid farewell, there was a strong sense of reluctance to part—many expressed hopes of gathering again next year.