Jack Ma delivers a speech in Australia's University of Newcastle (UON) in New South Wales, Australia, Feb. 3, 2017. (Xinhua/Gui Qing)
Jack Ma, founder and executive chairman of the Alibaba Group, on Friday donated $20 million to Australia's University of Newcastle (UON) and founded a scholarship program through his charity the Jack Ma Foundation, in a show of gratitude for the support he was given by a local 32 years ago.
The scholarship program, which the university has called "the largest philanthropic commitment in UON's history," is named after Jack Ma himself and a old pen pal of his - Newcastle resident Ken Morley.
Ma was quoted as saying by a Qianjiang Evening News report on Saturday that the scholarship will fund those who want to experience the world and think about it.
According to a statement released on the UON's official website on Friday, when Ma was a teenager, he met Ken Morley while Morley and his family were on a tour in Mr Ma's hometown of Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang Provincewith the Australia-China Friendship Society .
Morley went on to become a highly influential figure in Ma's life, instilling core values and a global perspective that positively impacted Ma's future and contributed to his personal success, said the statement. Ma and Morley remained close friends until Morley's death in 2004.
"For an unknown reason, I was lucky enough to make it. I have been wanting to do something for the UON, for Ken used to talk about it all the time," Ma said.
"I want to be just like Ken, staying ready to help strangers, to help some young fellow he met in the street," Ma continued.
Opened my eyes
In 1980, 16-year-old Ma met and became pen pals with David, Morley 's son.
Morley invited Ma to visit Australia in a 1985 letter.
The UON website statement quoted Ma as saying that "I am very thankful for Australia and the time I spent there in my youth. The culture, the landscape and most importantly its people had a profoundly positive impact on my view of the world at that time."
"To honour the experience and the special relationship I formed with the Morley family, the Jack Ma Foundation is delighted to announce The Ma & Morley Scholarship Program that will inspire, educate and cultivate tomorrow's leaders. Alibaba was built by young people and we are committed to lifting up and empowering students so they can reach their dreams and ambitions."
Besides their mail exchanges, Morley would proofread Ma's English and asked Ma to "leave some space between lines so that I can put down some advice."
When Ma remembers their relationship, he said that "Morley got the way I talked, and knew it would be something if I put what I said into action… and he supported me with his curious mind and great kindness."
"Although my visa application was rejected seven times, it was the trip to Australia that truly opened my eyes," Ma said.
According to the Qianjiang Evening News, Morley would send checks to Ma every six months while the younger man was at Hangzhou Normal University to support his studies.
Transform futures
According to UON, in its initial year The Ma & Morley Scholarship Program will support 30 new UON scholarships, 20 of which will support students throughout the duration of their degree, including access to a "unique and comprehensive engagement and enrichment program," and 10 of which will be one-off scholarships to support "educational exchanges, internship or immersion activities."
When the program reaches full capacity, it will support 90 students annually.
David Morley, who still lives in Newcastle, said the family were really happy to see Jack remember his Newcastle connection and to be honoring their father's egalitarian values through this generous scholarship program.
"Dad would be extremely proud of Jack's commitment to making a difference to students in our hometown, and so touched that their close friendship has led to this program, which will transform the futures of hundreds of University of Newcastle students, to hopefully do good things in the world," David Morley said.
The first round of The Ma & Morley Scholarship Program will be advertised in mid-2017 for students commencing their first year of an undergraduate degree at UON in 2018.
