The 2014 SJTU Undergraduate Commencement was held at the Minhang Campus on June 29. Jiang Sixian, SJTU Party Secretary, Zhang Jie, President, other leaders of the university, and all students of JI Class 2014 attended the memorable event. Ms. Yan Lu, famous actress and accomplished alumna, and “Outstanding Teaching Award” winners, including JI Professor Jun Zhang, were also present. Vice President Xuemin Xu officiated.
Yuzhou Wang of JI Class 2013 sharing his experience of one year at Harvard
At the start of the ceremony, Yuzhou Wang, JI alumnus of Class 2013, shared his experience during his past year at Harvard University. He talked about his confusion and struggle in the beginning, how he overcame the stumbling blocks, and finally found what he has been pursuing in his life. Closing his speech, he encouraged the graduates to be brave and live a life full of fun, dreams, and ideals.
JI Graduate Bo Zhang delivering the valedictorian speech
JI Graduate Bo Zhang was the 2014 SJTU valedictorian and delivered his address at the commencement. He recited his JI ‘Heart Sutra:’ He didn’t know where life would lead him. All he knows is that in his first 22 years of life, the highlight is the 1400 days spent at SJTU. He reminisced about the tidbits of the four years, such as JI dorms got the first air conditioners at the SJTU campus in 2011; the university provided refreshing barley tea during the hot days of their military training; the university delivered hot meals when the students were shut in the dorms during a storm; upon graduating, the best benefit from SJTU is a permanent alumni email account for everybody.
Bo Zhang counted what he has reaped from the SJTU harvest: We study heard days and nights. On earning our degrees, we have built characters and developed capabilities. “People may look down upon us as being too young, but now we are ready to take off. We will use all we have learned to prove who we are.”
Chongguang Feng, JI graduate presenting the class present to SJTU
To show their gratitude to their alma mater, the graduates of Class 2014 have brainstormed ideas about the class gift. Finally, a bronze statue titled ‘The Thinker’ depicting a student working diligently through the four years was selected among 28 proposals. The statue will be located in the campus area where the students have spent most of their university life. JI graduate Chongguang Feng had the honor as one of the representatives to present the gift to SJTU. Secretary Jiang and President Zhang accepted the gift with deep appreciation.
At the ceremony, JI graduates flew the banner saying “You go ahead to realize your dreams in the world; we will come later to carry out gratitude and responsibility.” It showed JI students’ humor and wisdom and earned the accolades of President Zhang as well as other students and guests.
