Alan Chen

In the short eight months that I have known Alan for, I have found his fervent dedication to excellence in all aspects of life to be truly inspirational. It is for this reason that I give my full endorsement for his nomination as an Olympic torch bearer. As a citizen, Alan embodies the principles that we expect of our most exemplary citizens. Alan is the kind of person who will be the first volunteer his bus seat to an elderly person and go out of his way to help a stranger in need. As a local community member, Alan has always made time to give back. This is reflected by his volunteer work in the hospital - where he volunteered for over six years, at a local school - where he taught children Chinese, and his involvement in a Science Outreach program, where he taught high school students. Similarly, in the University community, Alan has represented students' interests as the elected Chair of the Finance Oxford Business Network, where he has worked hard to connect students with their dream careers. As a friend, Alan has demonstrated true friendship. Not only has Alan shown unconditional support in my endeavours, Alan is always fair and can be counted on to pull me aside if I am acting unreasonable. The combination of unconditional support, frankness and kindness that he has shown me makes our friendship feel as though it has been a lifetime. For these reasons, I sincerely feel that Alan would be an exemplary ambassador of the Olympic spirit and good citizenship.