Yingying Zhang Memorial Fund was created to commemorate Ms. Yingying Zhang, who is also a Peking University alumna, by the Peking University Alumni Association in Chicago (“PKUAA Chicago”) in July, 2019. Peking University Education Foundation (USA) (“PKUEF (USA)”) provided a grant to support the Yingying Zhang Memorial Fund on July 26, 2019.

“We feel deeply sorry for the tragedy of Yingying and the huge loss of her family, ”said Lynn Zhao, President of PKUEF (USA). “We hope this heinous case will not impact the goodwill and the willingness of exploring the world, including the U.S., of all those outstanding, kind and brave Chinese students.”

Wei Lin, President of PKUAA Chicago, visited Yingying Zhang’s parents together with four alumni representatives on August 4, 2019. They handed the check over to them and conveyed alumni’s regards to them on behalf of PKUAA Chicago. “The Fund has received $17, 252 including donations from alumni, PKUEF (USA) and $5,500 matching gifts from Motorola,”said Wei Lin. “All the gifts will provide great help to Yingying Zhang’s family at this time. Yingying Zhang will be remembered by us forever.” Yingying Zhang’s parents expressed sincere appreciation to all alumni.

Yingying Zhang, 26, had come to the U.S. from China as a visiting scholar in April 2017, to begin post-graduate research work at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana campus. She went missing on June 9, 2017, as she was on her way to an appointment to sign an apartment lease. Brendt Christensen was convicted in June, 2019 and sentenced to life in prison without parole for kidnapping and murdering Yingying Zhang.