Peking University, July. 11, 2018: Beginning with beautiful songs and warm up video, PKU 2018 undergraduate commencement ceremony was held at PKU Gymnasium on July 10. The ceremony was hosted by PKU Executive Vice President Zhan Qimin. Representatives of faculties, parents of students and principals of high schools witnessed the glorious moment of 3313 undergraduates.
Zhan Qimin
PKU Council Chairman Hao Ping congratulated class of 2018 for successfully finishing their degree at the beginning of the ceremony. He then conferred 1582 “PKU Outstanding Undergraduates Awards” and 538 “Beijing Outstanding Undergraduates Awards”. Hao hoped undergraduates could draw strength from these students to work diligently and create a better society. He also said that Peking University would always be a harbor for every student where they could gain spiritual support.
Hao Ping
As a representative of class of 2018, Huang Xing from School of Economics shared her own stories in PKU. She said she learned not only knowledge about economics but also the spirit of benefiting society during these 4 years and was convinced that everything is possible in Peking University if we challenge ourselves.
Huang Xin
Professor Chen Peng from the College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering shared his stories in Peking University when he was still an undergraduate. Driven by obsession with chemistry, he chose to start his doctoral study in the University of Chicago after graduation. Experience abroad made him realize the importance of scientific and technological development, which cemented his resolution to come back and continue his academic career as a professor. At the end of his speech, Chen told students to insist on their dreams in spite of failure and frustration.
Chen Peng
President Lin Jianhua raised a question in his speech: what is Peking University? His own answer is that Peking University is a great university, not only because of her excellent education and academic achievement, but also because of her pursuit in social justice and humanity. By sharing his experience of supporting the poor in Midu, a remote county in Yunnan Province, President Lin called on more students to go to remote areas of China in order to get more people out of poverty. He also gave his best wishes to the students who are going to graduate from Peking University.
Lin Jianhua
Zhong Zi’ou, the representative of Peking University alumni, introduced his work experience in Xinjiang Autonomous Region. Zhou went to Xinjiang after graduating from Peking University, and chose to grass-roots units for the sake of getting close to the people in his work. He told the students he was once asked to take care of an old woman, but later he found it was the old woman that took care of him. Zhou impressed the importance of unity and harmony between different ethnic groups. He said that he felt proud of his choice.
Zhong Zi'ou
During the commencement ceremony the students and professors also gave splendid performance. The ceremony eventually ended by the song Yan Yuan Qing sung by all students of class 2018 and professors present.
Reported by: Peng Wei & Xie Changli
Edited by: Zhang Jiang
