Updated 3:30 p.m. April 27, 2020
Correction: The article incorrectly reported that Jiang said more than 200 Chinese scholars, family members and people who work outside the university took part in raising the money. In fact, Jiang said more than 200 Chinese scholars, family members and people who work outside the university are part of the WeChat group. Some of the members took part in raising the money.
The Chinese Student and Scholar Association donated $1,330 to the UTRGV Student Food Pantry and provided 1,000 face masks to the Edinburg and McAllen police departments.
UTRGV students, faculty and members of the Chinese community in the Rio Grande Valley helped raise money to donate to the university’s food pantry.
Chinese Student and Scholar Association members communicated and planned through WeChat, a messaging and social media app.
The purpose of the Chinese Student and Scholar Association is to represent, express and protect Chinese students and scholars at UTRGV. The organization helps newly arrived Chinese students and scholars to settle to a new environment and help non-Chinese to better understand China and Chinese culture, according to its constitution.
“This pandemic … is a first experience for everybody,” said Bin Wang, a UTRGV Information Systems professor and associate dean for administration, graduate studies and research for the Robert C. Vackar College of Business & Entrepreneurship. “Our community and our students are affected tremendously. … The Chinese community, we are a part of the Valley and we feel deeply for that. … We want to help.”
Lin Jiang, School of Social Work assistant professor and president of the association, said the donation to the Student Food Pantry was made on April 14.
Jiang said more than 200 Chinese scholars, family members and people who work outside the university took part in raising the money.
“We raised $2,160,” she said. “We donated $1,330 to the Student Food Pantry [and] we used $830 to purchase masks and donated them to the police department.”
Ben Xu, the organization’s former president and an Engineering assistant professor, was in charge of purchasing the face masks that were donated to the Edinburg and McAllen police departments.
Arielle Benedict, a public information officer and special events coordinator for the Edinburg Police Department said the donation was “ appreciated.”
“That day, all of the masks were distributed to our staff and to our officers,” Benedict said. “We are really proud that they support us and that we are partners with them.”
She said it is important officers have protective equipment because they are in contact with the public on a daily basis. The Edinburg Police Department received a total of 500 masks, and 500 were donated to the McAllen Police Department.
For more information about the Chinese Student and Scholar Association, email chaoran.dou01@utrgv.edu
