HlaMin

Tag: Alumni

  • Changes

    Changes

    by Hla Min

    Updated : Aug 2025

    Alumni Appreciation Award

    Alumni

    • In Latin, there are four terms :
      alumnus for “male student”
      almuna for “female student”
      alumni for “male students”
      alumnae for “female students”.
    • In modern usage, the term “alumni” applies to all students.

    Days of Month

    • According to “Ripley’s Believe it or not”, a graveyard inscription has February 30th.
    • Grapevine says that Followers of two Carsars took away a day each from February to make July (named after Julius Caesar) and August (named after Augustus Caesar) to have 31 days instead of 30.

    February became the shortest month of the calendar year with 28 days. It was given back an extra day on a leap year.

    The earth takes about 365.2422 days to revolve round the sun, so the discrepancy became 0.9688 day every four years (or 97 days in 4 centuries).

    In Gregorian calendar, a leap year is defined as a non-century year that is divisible by 4, and a century year that is divisible by 400.

  • Alumni Association

    Alumni Association

    by Hla Min

    Updated : Aug 2025

    Background

    • Many universities have “Alumni Relations Department” and “Alumni Association“.
    • They have personnel to reach out to alumni and hold alumni events.
    • Notable and successful alumni support their alma mater in various ways. e.g. establish new Departments, Chairs, Research facilities, Mentoring programs, Internships

    Sad story

    • After the fateful Coup D’etat in 1962, all organizations (except BSPP and related ones) were banned.
    • The practice continued to the Adhamma Era, when our alma mater was branded as “Thabon Kyaung” and the Swel Daw Bins were destroyed.

    Perseverance

    • With the dawning of the Pwint Linn Era, steps were taken to bring back the alma mater to former glory.
    • In February 2016, U Wynn Htain Oo, U Tin Latt and U Than Htay proposed to U Aye Myint (then Rector of YTU) the establishment of an alumni association. The Rector gladly agreed.
    • A core group helped with the registration of RIT-YIT-YTU Alumni Association.

    Issues

    • Many alumni were not aware of the association and its objectives
    • Only a few (mostly members of the “80000 YaThay”) actively participated in the formative events
    • There was virtually no fund to operate (let alone assist the alma mater)

    Help and Resolution

    Then, things started to click

    • An office space for the Alumni Association was provided by YTU
    • The association received nice Logo and Banner.
    • Donations — large and small — were received (mostly for the YTU Library Modernization Project which is a requirement for the Accreditation).
      Donations were received from well-wishers (who are not alumni).
    • Membership grew by leaps and bounds.
      Even alumni overseas joined the association.
      Currently, Life membership costs K60000.
    • Saya’s Corner was established.
      Wheel chairs are available (especially for use by Sayagyis attending SPZPs).
    • Staff and Volunteers helped with the regular and ad hoc projects (such as clean-up).
    • The Annual General Meeting (AGM) was attended by alumni spanning three (or so) decades.
      Several young alumni came forward to take leadership roles.
    • The association helped with YTU Library Modernization Project, z”Honoring matriculates of alumni” and the vetting of YTU students applying for financial aid.
  • Notes 2

    Notes 2

    by Hla Min

    Updated : July 2025

    Academic Year

    • An academic year usually spans two years.
      e.g. 1968 – 1969 academic year
    • To save space and time, I use the end year instead of the start year and end year
      e.g. Class of 1969 (or simply Class of 69)

    Early Days at Rangoon University

    • The Faculty of Engineering accepted students who had completed I.Sc. (two years of Intermediate of Science) with the “Pure Science” option with reasonable marks.
    • The engineering classes are named 1st year of Engineering to Final (4th year of Engineering).
    • There were no “Instructors” .
      There were Assistant Lecturers, Lecturers and Professors.
      They are “Gazetted Officers”.
    • Saya U Ba Hli, first native Dean of Engineering, proposed the Twinning Program between the Faculty of Engineering and prestigious universities in the USA.
    U Ba Hli (Right)
    • Some engineering students (e.g. Dr. Aung Gyi, U Min Wun, U Maung Maung Than, U Khin Aung Kyi, U Soe Paing) applied for “States Scholar” before graduation. They joined the Faculty upon their return to Burma.
    • Some engineering students (e.g. U Sein Hlaing, U Tin Swe, U Allen Htay, Dr. San Hla Aung, U San Tun) joined the faculty upon graduation. They were selected to do post-graduate studies in the USA.
    • Saya Dr. Yan Naing Lwin (Professor Emeritus, WIU) e-mailed me a copy of the “Burmese state scholars in the USA ’54”. There were about 400 state scholars including Saya U Sein Hlaing and Saya U Tin Swe.

    Sports

    • The Halls (e.g. Prome) would aggressively seek outstanding athletes (footballers, tennis players, rowers, …).
    • U Chan Tha is Past Captain and Gold of RUBC Gold.
      He was Captain of the Prome Hall Soccer Team which won the Inter-Hall Trophy for two consecutive years.
      Saya U Tin Swe was a member of that victorious team.

    New Education System in 1964

    • The Rangoon University was reorganized into RASU (Rangoon Arts and Science University) and several Institutes (Economics, Education, Engineering, Medicine …).
    • Burma Institute of Technology (BIT) was renamed as Rangoon Institute of Technology (RIT).
      U Yone Mo, Dean of BIT, became the Rector of RIT.
    • Matriculates were admitted to the 1st BE class using the controversial ILA (Intelligence Level Aggregate).
    • Those who had passed I.Sc.(A) examination were admitted to the 2nd BE class based on the total marks.
    • Those who had passed I.Sc.(B) examination were admitted to the 3rd BE class (equivalent to the Old 1st Year Engineering class).
    • The positions for “Instructors” were created. It meant, most sayas have to wait to become Assistant Lecturers.

    Memories

    • Ko Benny Tan (M 70) lent me a copy of the “RIT Handbook” for 1966 – 67. I published the list of permanent and part-time sayas and sayamas in one of “RIT Alumni International Newsletter” updates.
    • Saya U Moe Aung (EE) has old copies of “Hlyat Sit Sar Saung” and RIT Annual magazines.
      He served as Chief Editor for both publications.
    • Saya Charlie Kaw (Tex, GBNF) brought to USA projects of his final year students.

    GBNF for UCC sayas and alumni

    • Dr. Chit Swe (Founder / Director)
    • Dr. Tin Maung (Director)
    • U Ko Ko Lay (Co-founder)
    • U Hla Min (EP70, Chief Operator)
    • U Soe Myint (M72, Operations)
    • U Maung Maung Gyi (Operations)
    • U Maung Maung Lay (Operations)
    • U Aung Myint (Systems)
    • U Mya Thein (Business Applications)
    • U Soe Thein (Business Applications)
    • U Kyaw Nyein (Scientific Applications)
    • U Win Naing (Scientific Applications)
    • U Khin Maung Aye (M73)
    • U Shein Soe Myint (EC83)
    • U Aung Aung Thein (EE 8x)
    • U Thein Tan
    • U Hla Aye (Bhaimyar)
    • U Myint Aung (Admin)
    • Daw Win May Thaung
    • Daw Kyu Kyu Lwin
    • Daw Hla Hla Win
    • Daw Khin Lay Myint (Admin)
    • Daw Khin Mya Swe
    • Daw Khin Toe Nyein
    • Daw Thida Aung