Dr. Wen-Tsun Lin, an honorary doctorate recipient of National Chung Cheng University (CCU) and President of the Shun Yi Group, donated NT$5 million through the “Lin Lai-Shun and Lin Chiu Yin-Hua Charitable Foundation” to establish the “Shun Yi International Dream-Building Scholarship.” The scholarship aimed to support CCU students participating in overseas exchange and study programs, empowering them to pursue their dreams abroad.

On September 23, CCU held the “Shun Yi International Dream-Building Scholarship” Donation Ceremony and Overseas Study Information Session, with CCU President Shaw-Jenq Tsai accepting the donation on behalf of the university. This five-year scholarship program was designed to provide financial support for airfare, accommodation, and living expenses abroad. By easing the financial burden of studying overseas, the scholarship helped ensure that motivated students interested in international learning would not have to forfeit opportunities to study abroad due to financial constraints.

President Shaw-Jenq Tsai noted that promoting internationalization at a university went beyond simply increasing the number of partner institutions. More importantly, students needed to genuinely desire to venture abroad and have the resources to do so. Studying overseas required not only courage but also tangible financial support. Through the “Lin Lai-Shun and Lin Chiu Yin-Hua Charitable Foundation,” President Lin’s five-year commitment of NT$5 million provided students with stable and meaningful support, giving more CCU students the confidence to turn their aspirations to explore the world into reality.

This support responded directly to the growing demand for international learning opportunities at CCU. With the encouragement and support of President Shaw-Jenq Tsai, the number of CCU students participating in overseas exchange programs grew by 40% over the past three years. More and more students were choosing to venture beyond familiar campus surroundings to study in different countries and immerse themselves in diverse languages and cultures. International exchange had increasingly become a key way for CCU students to strengthen their professional skills and broaden their global perspectives. However, significant practical barriers remained between aspiring to study abroad and actually embarking on the journey. Beyond language proficiency and the challenges of adapting to an unfamiliar environment, expenses such as airfare, accommodation, and living costs were major considerations for students.

President Shaw-Jenq Tsai remarked that, on the eve of Teachers’ Day, the university was honored to receive President Lin’s NT$5 million donation to establish the “Shun Yi International Dream-Building Scholarship,” a gift aimed at supporting students studying and participating in exchange programs abroad. “Encouraging students to step out into the world takes more than just a dream. They also need tangible support to give them the confidence to pursue it,” President Shaw-Jenq Tsai said. He expressed his hope that students would take the opportunity to experience different cultures, broaden their horizons, and bring what they learned at CCU to the world.

President Shaw-Jenq Tsai also noted that President Lin continued to give back to society after achieving success in business, putting CCU’s motto, “To innovate with earnestness; be virtuous with altruism,” into practice. Through their collaboration on the YI-YUN Entrepreneurs' Talk, CCU invited entrepreneurs to campus to share their experiences of both success and failure. Now, through the scholarship, this support would help CCU students venture out into the world. President Shaw-Jenq Tsai encouraged students to apply for the scholarship and reaffirmed that the university would continue securing additional resources so that more students could pursue their dreams without financial worries and turn their aspirations into reality.

President Lin had long been committed to both business development and philanthropy. In 2020, he initiated the establishment of the “Yi-Yun CEO Club,” bringing together business leaders from the Yunlin-Chiayi region to support healthcare and charitable initiatives. He also previously served as Director of the Chiayi Branch of the Association for Victims Support. In gratitude to his parents, President Lin established the “Lin Lai-Shun and Lin Chiu Yin-Hua Charitable Foundation” in their names, transforming his appreciation for their love and upbringing into concrete action to give back to society. In March of this year, he donated automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to CCU to strengthen the university’s emergency response capabilities. In early April, he also donated a long-term care transport vehicle to the Chiayi City Long-Term Care Center. Through this latest initiative, he extended his support to youth education and international learning, helping more CCU students overcome financial barriers and pursue opportunities abroad.

President Lin shared that this marked the first time he had made a donation to establish a scholarship and that he chose to make this meaningful contribution to CCU. Reflecting on what inspired the donation, he recalled how his parents built their business from the ground up and expressed deep gratitude for their upbringing. He also shared the story of meeting his wife while taking elective courses together during their university years and later building their careers side by side. Describing himself as someone who was always passionate about pursuing dreams, President Lin expressed his hope that he could transform his gratitude for life’s opportunities into meaningful support for young people. Through the scholarship, he hoped to provide students aspiring to study abroad with additional support as they pursued their dreams.

Having spent many years in the export business, President Lin also emphasized the importance of international exposure and practical experience. He welcomed scholarship recipients traveling to the United States to visit his company or undertake an internship, giving them an opportunity to learn more about business operations firsthand. Drawing on the Japanese concepts of ichigo ichie—treasuring each encounter as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity—and issho kenmei—devoting oneself wholeheartedly to one’s endeavors—he encouraged students to cherish the opportunities and people they encountered, continue learning throughout their lives, and discover pursuits worthy of lifelong dedication. He also encouraged them to develop a global perspective and a sense of social responsibility while courageously pursuing their dreams.

CCU emphasized that the NT$5 million commitment over five years represented far more than a financial donation. It embodied the spirit of giving back to society while creating opportunities for young people to step out into the world. The scholarship aimed to help ease students’ financial burdens and enable them to broaden their global perspectives through international learning experiences. The donation ceremony also symbolized the strong connection between the university and the business community, fostering not only the sharing of knowledge but also the development of globally minded talent through meaningful and tangible support.