Haojia Sun, a Class of 2024 undergraduate student from the University of Michigan – Shanghai Jiao Tong University Joint Institute (UM-SJTU JI, JI hereafter), has won the first prize at the 2024 SJTU Undergraduate Graduation Speech Contest. The final competition themed “Youth Aspires, Strong Nation with Me” was held on June 17 with 15 contestants from across the university.
Sun’s winning speech traced her transformative experience at JI, where she embarked on a journey from local aspirations to a global outlook. Reflecting on her academic exploration, she highlighted the impact of interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-cultural exchanges at the Michigan Academy in fostering innovation.
“As a member of SJTU’s ‘Gratitude Program’, I’ve come to understand that addressing global challenges requires not just knowledge and technology, but also global competence,” said Sun, who also highlighted the importance of integrating Chinese wisdom with local visions beyond borders to ensure technology benefits everyone equally.
Sun is expected to pursue further studies in artificial intelligence at Carnegie Mellon University in the United States following her graduation from JI in August.
