Genius Asian Tsinghua Alumni BBQ in Silicon Valley Oct 12, 2025
Tsinghua Alumni BBQ in Silicon Valley — Oct 12, 2025
On October 12, 2025, over 300 Tsinghua University alumni, family members, and friends gathered at Lake Elizabeth in Fremont’s Central Park for the Silicon Valley Tsinghua Alumni Association’s (SVTAA, 硅谷清华校友会) annual BBQ — described by attendees as “the largest and best-organized BBQ in the association’s history.”
Event Details
- Date: October 12, 2025 (Sunday), 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- Location: Central Park, Recreational Rest Area C, 40000 Paseo Padre Pkwy, Fremont, CA 94538
- Attendance: 300+ alumni and guests, spanning from the Class of 1970s to recent graduates
- Host: Silicon Valley Tsinghua Alumni Association (SVTAA), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1994
- Co-hosts: Northern California Tsinghua Alumni Association (北加州清华校友会) and North American Tsinghua Alumni Federation (北美清华校友会联合会)
Highlights from the Event
Opening and School Song
The event opened with MC Sun Debin (孙德宾), an experienced BBQ host, leading the crowd in the Tsinghua school song led by Ding Quan. When the familiar melody “西山苍苍，东海茫茫” (“Western hills vast, Eastern sea boundless”) filled the air, many alumni sang along quietly — a moment that transported everyone back to campus.
New President’s Address
Newly elected president Ying Lihang (应理航) delivered his inaugural address, thanking the organizing committee, sponsors, volunteers, and alumni. He shared the new executive committee’s vision: “Unite Tsinghua alumni to achieve higher personal value, create greater social value, and build a better world together.” He emphasized the Tsinghua spirit of “行胜于言” (Actions speak louder than words) and “自强不息、厚德载物” (Strive for self-improvement, embrace virtue).
The Feast: Three Whole Roasted Lambs
The culinary highlight was three whole roasted lambs — golden-skinned and aromatic, surrounded by crowds the moment they came off the fire. Volunteers grilled lamb skewers one after another while the buffet area featured Northern-style pastries, cold dishes, marinated crab, vegetarian options, and fresh fruit from “Flower & Fruit Mountain” (花果山), plus desserts sponsored by Kyosho.
Live Performances and Kids on Stage
Tsinghua musician Ding Chunqiu and Wu Fei from the Automation department performed guitar sing-alongs that had the whole crowd joining in. Children also took the stage — gymnastics, dancing, and solo singing — earning enthusiastic applause.
Tug-of-War: Generations Compete
The highlight competition was a generational tug-of-war: ”80s vs 00s” and ”90s vs 10s.” People went barefoot, fell and got back up, with the entire crowd cheering. The older alumni won both rounds on teamwork and experience, while the younger generation laughed and declared: “We’ll win it back next year!”
Raffle Prizes
Two rounds of raffles featured Topgolf gift cards ($75 and $100 denominations) and two AirPods Pro 3 as grand prizes, drawing cheers from the crowd.
Notable Guests and Speakers
The event drew distinguished guests including:
- Jiao Long (焦龙) — Cupertino Education Board member
- Li Ling (李玲) — President of San Francisco Historical Society (史维会)
- Wang Yun (王云) — Founding President of San Jose University
- Gary Wang — President of Chinese American Semiconductor Professional Association (华美半导体协会)
- Zhang Dan (张丹) — CEO of Hua Yuan Science & Technology Association (华源协会)
- Zhang Yajing (张亚静) — Fremont City Council member
- Zhang Qingquan (张清泉) and Liu Jingdong (刘敬东) — Consuls from the Chinese Consulate General in San Francisco
- Jin Xuecheng (金学成) — Founding Partner of Foothill Ventures, who shared cases of supporting Tsinghua alumni startups
Sports team captains also recruited new members for track & field, pickleball, table tennis, tennis, and the Chinese Sports Association team.
About SVTAA
The Silicon Valley Tsinghua Alumni Association (formerly Silicon Valley Tsinghua Network/SVTN) was founded in 1994 and is one of the most active Chinese alumni organizations in the Bay Area. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area — one of the most concentrated regions for Tsinghua alumni globally — the association has grown over nearly 30 years to include successful entrepreneurs, renowned investors, tech leaders, corporate executives, and talent across many fields.
Silicon Valley has attracted over 10,000 Tsinghua graduates. Through annual BBQs, startup and investment forums, professional exchanges, sports activities, and interest groups (including career development, AI technology, gardening, music, wellness, and parenting), the alumni association builds a trusted, vibrant community.
Interest Groups and Clubs
The SVTAA supports a wide range of interest groups:
- Career development and job seeking
- Entrepreneurship and investment
- AI and robotics
- Sports (hiking, pickleball, tennis, table tennis, track & field)
- Music and performing arts
- Gardening and wellness
- Parenting and children’s education
- Social and dating
Volunteers: The Unsung Heroes
The recap article specifically honored the dozens of volunteers who made the event possible — from planning and registration to setup, photography, and cleanup. The sign-in team worked until the early morning hours printing name badges. The setup crew arrived early with “little Tsinghua second-generation kids” to drape purple tablecloths on every chair. Food volunteers coordinated procurement, distribution, and grilling with meticulous care.