New Undergraduates: A new journey to embark on
On August 25th, 2022, the opening ceremony for the undergraduates admitted to Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) in 2022 and the first class after their admission were held. Secretary of the SJTU Party Committee Yang Zhenbin, SJTU President and academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering Lin Zhongqin, and other executive leaders of SJTU, alumni representatives, representatives of SJTU partners, faculty representatives, student representatives, and the new undergraduates, all witnessed the moment of the new undergraduates embarking on a new journey in 17 venues including the Henry Fok Stadium of the Minhang Campus.
At the opening ceremony for the undergraduates, SJTU President Lin Zhongqin, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, delivered a speech titled “Lofty Ideals and Self-reliance”. He said, “The times are different, but the youth has always been the same”. The growth of each generation is closely related to the development of the times and the country's destiny.
In his welcome address to the incoming students of the undergraduate class, Secretary of the SJTU Party Committee Yang Zhenbin focused on the theme “Choosing SJTU to Assume Responsibilities”, in which he spoke about SJTU, study, and ideals.
The representatives of the faculty, senior students, new undergraduates, and alumni also spoke to the students at the opening ceremony. Gu Guoying, professor of the School of Mechanical Engineering, delivered a speech as the faculty representative. He shared his experience with his studies and in scientific research to encourage the students to cherish learning opportunities and quickly adapt to the new environment. Yang Xingzhi, Executive Chairman of the SJTU Students Federation and a student of the School of Design, spoke as the representative of senior students: “At SJTU, where talents abound, we should be ready from the very beginning, and do our best to take the first course, the first assignment and the first exam seriously.” Sun Zichun, an undergraduate from the School of Electronic Information and Electrical Engineering, spoke as the representative of the new undergraduates. He said that as a new student at SJTU, he aspired to change himself and pursue his ideals, learn new knowledge, broaden his horizons, and improve himself to embrace the future. Chen Guangming, the founder of Foresight Fund who was admitted to SJTU in 1992 and later became an SJTU board member, gave a speech as the alumni representative. He shared his personal experience with the new undergraduates: “I hope that we can always be independent, realistic and pragmatic, and not yield to secular interests, that we can always uphold patriotism, innovate, strive to be stronger and shoulder the mission of a generation, and that we can always be kind, maintain altruism and realize our ideals.”
New Graduate Students: Forge ahead tirelessly
On September 17th, 2022, the opening ceremony for the new graduate students of SJTU was held. Secretary of the SJTU Party Committee Yang Zhenbin, SJTU President and academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering Lin Zhongqin, and other executive leaders of SJTU, leaders of various SJTU schools and departments, as well as representatives of supervisors, senior students, and new graduate students, all witnessed this unforgettable moment either in person or remotely, as the new graduate students were about to start a new chapter in their life at SJTU.
At the opening ceremony, Lin Zhongqin delivered a keynote speech titled “Aim High and Forge Ahead Tirelessly”. He pointed out that it is difficult to make gold without refining it by fire. SJTU has been known as the “high-temperature furnace”, as he put it, given its unwavering effort to uphold high standards and strict requirements for developing graduate students. He expressed his hope that, with academic training in their postgraduate life, the students could develop excellent skills, cultivate a scientific spirit, and possess the foundation and potential to become top talents and dominant pillars of the country.
Afterward, the representatives of faculty and senior students spoke in turn at the opening ceremony. As the faculty representative, Professor Chen Jinjian of the School of Naval Architecture, Ocean & Civil Engineering expressed his expectations for the new graduate students to undertake responsibilities audaciously, explore new things and make pioneering efforts to be innovative. Li Chong, a doctoral student of the School of Mechanical Engineering who was admitted to SJTU in 2020, delivered a speech as the representative of senior students. He encouraged the new students to conform to the trend of the times and to uphold patriotism.
The new graduate students also expressed their expectations and hopes for a new chapter in their study and scientific research.
Following the opening ceremony, SJTU offered a comprehensive introduction to the new students, covering topics such as student development, personal safety, COVID-19 protocols, and campus life to help them make plans for scientific research and career development and adapt to the new environment as soon as possible.