The University of Michigan-Shanghai Jiao Tong University Joint Institute (UM-SJTU JI, JI hereafter) held its 2024 New Student Opening Ceremony at Jing Jing Auditorium of the SJTU Minhang Campus on the evening of September 18.
This year, JI has enrolled a record-breaking total of 460 new students, including 323 domestic undergraduate students, 45 international undergraduate students, 84 domestic graduate students, and 8 international graduate students. In addition, the joint institute is hosting 47 international exchange students from 19 leading universities worldwide in the fall semester.
In his welcome speech, JI Dean Chien-Pin Chen said the new class of 2024 holds special significance, with many students sharing the same birth year as the Joint Institute. The dean advised the new students to cultivate curiosity, embrace collaboration and stay open-minded. “The next 4 years will be some of the most exciting and challenging of your life. I encourage you to embrace your new role as college students, strive for excellence, and push the boundaries of what you believe is possible.”
JI 2011 bachelor alumnus Xian Huang, Co-Founder of Mega Phase Group, President and CEO of Shanghai Shengwei Electronic Technology Co., Ltd., shared his experiences and insights with the new students. He described how uncertainty defined both his college experience and his entrepreneurial journey. “The ability to face uncertainty, which we acquired during our stay at JI, helped us to stand our ground in the brutal business environment of the last 10 years,” said Huang who also highlighted the importance of courage and value in navigating both academic and professional challenges.
Yuqian Shen, a sophomore student and President of the JI Student Union, addressed the new students with insights from his own experiences. Shen shared three stories from his freshman year, highlighting the importance of diverse learning, humility and appreciation, and a willingness to step out of comfort zones and explore new opportunities.
Freshman representative Zihan Wang shared her feelings of excitement and nervousness, which she believed many of her peers could relate to, and offered advice on transitioning to university life. She encouraged her fellow students to remain patient, open-minded, and to learn from diverse sources and experiences. Wang emphasized the importance of embracing diversity and concluded, “I hope we all have a brave, fruitful, and enjoyable university life.”
Graduate student representative Botao Zhou, a new doctoral student and a bachelor alumnus of JI, reflected on his four years as an undergraduate student. He emphasized the importance of being proud to be a JIer, highlighting the institute’s dynamic and creative community, which nurtures cross-disciplinary collaboration, international exchange, and social responsibility. Zhou encouraged his peers to discover their passions, urging them to make a difference in the world. He also stressed that collaboration is crucial on the academic journey, and that everyone should work together, growing into capable leaders and collaborators.
International freshman Grisha Hakobyan from Armenia shared his gratitude and enthusiasm for his new environment as a JI student. “In just less than a week since my arrival, I already feel as cozy and integrated on the SJTU campus as I do at home,” Hakobyan said. “Let us face this journey with ease and grace. I am fully confident that we will achieve great things and embrace a bright future, together.”
Group photo of event attendees
Prior to the ceremony, the new students set the stage with a variety of artistic performances, creating a lively atmosphere for the event.
