On March 6, 2026, the Johns Hopkins University-Nanjing University Center for Chinese-American Studies (HNC) held a gathering of faculty and students to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the HNC and the 150th anniversary of the founding of Johns Hopkins University.

HNC Chinese Co-Director Li Xiaorong and American Co-Director Adam Webb

HNC Chinese Co-Director Li Xiaorong and American Co-Director Adam Webb delivered remarks at the start of the activity. The HNC Co-Directors divided their introductions between discussions of the HNC’s founding parties – discussing the founding histories of Nanjing University and Johns Hopkins University – and welcomed members of the HNC community to actively engage in the HNC 40th Anniversary Celebration and related activities to collectively celebrate the history of the HNC.

Co-Director Li Xiaorong expressed her wish for the students of the HNC to carry on the spirit of the two schools’ mottos: to seek truth, be diligent, maintain their ideals, and integrate knowledge with action. Rooted in the land of China, HNC students develop the capacity to engage with society and make positive contributions to the advancement of scientific education and the development of human civilization.

Afterwards, faculty, students, and staff engaged in friendly conversation, drawing the activity to a close amid a warm atmosphere.

Lively communication among teachers and students

The HNC was formally established in 1986, and a 40th Anniverary Celebration will be held in Nanjing this year on June 20. As one of the founding parties of the HNC, Johns Hopkins University was founded in 1876 as the first research university in the United States, and this year also celebrates its 150th year anniversary. This gathering of faculty and students served as preparation for the 40th Anniversary Celebration, and also celebrated the storied history of Johns Hopkins University.