The Culture Regeneration Research Society (CRRS) has donated $100,000 to Trinity Western University to establish the Faith, Hope and Love Canadian Scholarship.

The money will benefit Chinese students, Canadian and International, studying in the fields of Nursing and Education. Beginning in fall 2008, two $2,500 grants will go to TWU undergraduate students each year — one within the Education program, the other within the nursing program. Students are chosen based on their academic standing and financial need.

The CRRS is a non-profit and non-political academic organization established in 1994. Its purpose is to study shifts and trends in contemporary Chinese culture and to promote China’s interaction with the highest ideals of ethics, spiritual disciplines and contemporary philosophy of the West.

“In China there is an idea about sharing but no idea about forgiveness,” said Ying Ying Wei, a third year student from Shanghai. “Most of the young people in China are taught in school the teachings of Confucius as the moral standard. He says little about generosity and forgiveness; I did not learn what those words meant until I came here.”

In the 1990s the CRRS focused on projects like “China/Canada Anti-Corruption Project,” “Moral Ethics Education,” “Cross-Cultural Project” and “Integrity Cultivation.” CRRS engaged China’s senior officials in dialogue on matters pertaining to human rights. CRRS organized several major seminars and forums facilitating East-West cultural exchange.

More recently, in view of China’s great need to deliver education to underprivileged children from rural areas, CRRS launched the “Teacher Certification Project” and the “Student Sponsorship Project” in 2002. In the past five years, CRRS has helped over 1,000 Guangxi teachers complete their university training and obtain full certification. Over the same period, CRRS has made it financially possible for over 1,420 students to continue their education.

A member of TWU’s current Board of Directors, Kenneth Tsang, is also the CRRS Chair. “Mr. Tsang has a huge heart for TWU and wants to see Trinity be accessible to more students,” said Sam Rehman, TWU Development Officer.

CRRS President Dr. Thomas In-Sing Leung is also connected to TWU as his daughter is a graduate. “Trinity Western is a university with high moral standards and CRRS was founded on the values of love and integrity. We want to establish a partnership; to nurture growth between our respective cultures,” said In-Sing Leung.