32 Chinese students in US Midwest receive gov't award

Thirty-two Chinese students studying in the US Midwest have received "national awards for outstanding self-financed students abroad," which were delivered on Friday in Chicago by Chinese Consul General Hong Lei.

Zhao Boxuan, a former PhD student at University of Chicago and now a postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Genetics of Stanford University, and Chen Weijian, a doctorate student at Washington University in St. Louis, received the highest awards, each worth US$10,000.

"I feel proud and grateful to receive this award," Zhao said at the award-granting ceremony. "Chinese students studying abroad have received the support and care from the Chinese government, and I will devote my contribution to my home country by my studies."

"National awards for outstanding self-financed students is a great encourage for all Chinese students studying abroad, and we're concerned about the development and change of our country." said Chen, "I will work hard and seek the opportunity to serve my country."

Addressing the awardees, Hong said with the rapid development of the country, China needs more talented people. "I hope you can combine your career with the development of our country."

Zhang Xinya, a professor of Columbia College Chicago who has been an evaluations expert for the scholarship for several years, also congratulated the winning students.

"In recent years, more doctoral students studying abroad in US apply for the scholarship, and their submitted papers have obviously increased in quantity and quality. I hope they can act as ambassadors to expand academic exchanges between the two countries." Zhang said.

The Chinese Government Award for Outstanding Self-Financed Students Abroad is a scholarship set up by the China Scholarship Council in 2003 to honor overseas Chinese students with outstanding academic accomplishments.

According to official statistics, 500 Chinese students studying abroad received the scholarship in 2017.