NTU students are typically known for their intellect, but it would be a mistake to think their interests only extend to the classroom. NTU students also engage with society, using their talents to help others. This issue features a story discussing students whose lives exemplify all four parts of the university’s motto: "Cultivate virtue, advance intellect; love one's country, love one's people." Students in NTU’s Fishing Village Service Team go to Chimei, Penghu every year to help disadvantaged residents, and have been doing so for over 20 years.

These students are both dedicated and thoughtful as they go aboout serving Chimei residents. Volunteering and community service are important, but it is also important to be sensitive to the needs and circumstances of the people being helped. The students who run the NTU Fishing Village Service Team know this, and only members who have completed a certain number of social service classes are allowed to participate. This kind of attention to detail pays off, enabling them to serve village children and elders in appropriate and meaningful ways.

As NTU works to further improve its international standing and reputation, it must continue to cultivate students to serve. Fostering concern for society at large and a willingness to be of service, as well as helping students develop leadership skills, is extremely important. NTU has been encouraging student involvement in social services and international volunteer organizations for decades, and implemented a service-learning curricula in 2006. It is our hope that these efforts help NTU students to follow the example provided by their classmates in the Fishing Village Service Team, and find opportunities to make contributions that are right for both their own abilities and society’s needs.