The Extracurricular Activities Guidance Section held the “2025 Academic Year Winter Service Team Flag-Presentation Ceremony” at 10:00 a.m. on January 13 at the Student Activity Center. President Huan-Chao Keh, Administrative Vice President Chun-Hung Lin, Academic Vice President Hui-Huang Hsu, along with several first- and second-level supervisors, attended the event. This year, a total of 13 service teams, including the String Orchestra Club, Psychology Research Society, and Tamkang Rotaract Club, comprising nearly 220 student volunteers, will carry out service activities across Taiwan and overseas from January 19 to February 5, putting social care into action.
In his remarks, President Keh commended students for dedicating their winter break to service and noted that participation in student organizations helps cultivate workplace soft skills highly valued by employers, such as communication, coordination, leadership, and problem-solving. He further highlighted the multiple values of service, including contributing to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for the common good, enhancing learning outcomes through “learning by doing,” and embodying the spirit that “helping others brings happiness.” From a scientific perspective, he added, helping others can foster positive emotions and improve learning performance. He concluded by reminding volunteers to prioritize health and personal safety and return home safely for the Lunar New Year. The flag presentation followed, with Chi-Ying Ho, a first-year master’s student in History and captain of the History Department Student Association Service Team, leading all volunteers in taking the service oath.
After the ceremony, De-Yu Chang, a student counseling innovator from the Extracurricular Activities Guidance Section, delivered a pre-departure safety briefing, reminding participants to pay attention to traffic and group safety, avoid traveling alone, ensure proper insurance coverage, choose legal accommodations and hygienic dining options, and observe copyright regulations when using activity materials. Hui-Shan Chang, a counselor from the Counseling, Career Development, and Learning Center, conducted a gender equality awareness session, emphasizing respect for individual differences and bodily autonomy, and underscoring the principle that “without consent, it is harassment.” The event concluded with encouraging videos recorded by team leaders, cheering the teams, and wishing them smooth and successful service missions.
Among the service initiatives, the Tainan Alumni Association organizes the “Crayon Shin-chan’s Wacky Adventure—Science and Environmental Conservation Camp” at Jiasing Elementary School in Jiali District, Tainan City. Pei-Yi Lin, a second-year student in Aerospace Engineering and team member, shared that the camp uses child-friendly characters and integrates SDGs with hands-on science experiments to spark children’s interest in science and environmental issues, while also allowing her to further develop team leadership skills during her second service mission.
On the international front, the Department of Economics service team “Econ Explorer” will travel to Manila, the Philippines, to collaborate with local NGOs and universities on water resource sustainability and environmental education. Team member En-En Hung, a senior economics student, expressed her hope to gain firsthand understanding of local water challenges and children’s needs, contribute in meaningful ways, and broaden her global perspective through service, recognizing that “the world is vast, and we are small,” and thereby cultivating a deeper sense of responsibility toward sustainable development.
