In the height of summer when trees and grass are flourishing, the Graduation Ceremony and Degree Awarding Ceremony of CQU Graduates of 2020 was held at the Sports Ground in Campus on the morning of June 28, 2020 despite the rain. More than 10,000 graduates attended this unusual event through offline and “cloud” means. Two thousand graduate representatives were present to listen to the “last lecture” themed “embracing changes” delivered by President Zhang Zongyi. In order to allow graduates who were unable to be present due to the coronavirus pandemic, the event was live-streamed through online platforms such as Weibo, Kuaishou, Douyin and Wesee, so that the graduates could watch the event on line.
Shu Lichun, secretary of CQU CPC Committee, President Zhang Zongyi, Academician Yang Shizhong of Chinese Academy of Engineering, Vice Presidents Meng Weidong, Ming Ju, Liu Hanlong and Wang Shilong, alumni representative Xiao Yu, and members of the Academic Degree Evaluation Committee of Chongqing University attended the graduation ceremony. Wang Xu, deputy secretary of CPC CQU Committee, presided at the event.
The graduation ceremony began with the solemn national anthem.
“Good rain knows the season.” President Zhang Zongyi joked about the rain that started to pour when the graduation ceremony started. He then proceeded to the “last lecture” delivered to the graduates. He said that people were now living on the cloud due to the pandemic outbreak, and there were cloud classes, cloud employment, cloud interview and cloud contract signing… The life and experience for us in the past few months were full of seemly helpless choices and forced changes. But looking from another perspective, there were new opportunities everywhere. Zhang Zongyi encouraged students to embrace the changes of the times which include the changes brought by the pandemic to their life.
Then what should we do to embrace changes? President Zhang Zongyi encouraged students to face changes, understand the eternity of changes, always get ready to accept changes and remain “poised when changes and unexpected things happen”. He also asked students to respond to changes actively and seize the opportunities before it is too late. Students should be wise enough to see the law of changes, and always manage to “keep up with changes and times”. In addition, they should also take the initiative to make changes and become a strongman that keeps striving in their best times with unlimited driving force, practical mobility and persistent sustaining force.
“Students are expected to face changes, respond to changes actively and make changes, and only this way can they live a real life. The weak are usually used to deny and escape, while the strong are never afraid of challenges and changes.” Zhang said in his speech. He expressed his hope that the graduates would remain calm under various external influencing factors, and always keep in mind their ambitious aspirations and the mission of Chongqing University people to “rejuvenate the nation and be the pioneer”. Only when they are able to embrace changes could they forge their future. Zhang encouraged them to change the world on the road towards the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Graduate representatives including Feng Miaoting from the School of Mathematics and Statistics and Fan Zhixin from the School of Mechanical Engineering expressed their gratitude towards and reluctance to leave Chongqing University. Pu Luoren, a foreign student from Italy, told his stories in the 6 years of studying at Chongqing University and his understanding about China as a responsible great country during the outbreak. He also paid his tribute to Chongqing University, the government of China and the perseverant Chinese nation.
As the teacher representative, Wang Yuhang from the School of Civil Engineering wished for the graduates to “keep pace with the times, take the responsibility of the era and play a useful role as young people”. Wang also encouraged the graduates to coordinate their personal development with the industrial development and national development and apply their professional knowledge, theory and technology to solve key technical bottlenecks in scientific and technological areas of China and make untiring efforts to realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Alumni representative Xiao Yu shared his entrepreneurial story during his studying at CQU and advised graduates to follow their heart and be concentrated when doing things. Xiao also encouraged students to be brave enough to make self-breakthroughs and create a brilliant life against the current of the times.
Graduates of 2020 presented Chongqing University with an exquisitely prepared gift at the Graduation Ceremony and extended their best wishes for and commitment to CQU. Shu Lichun received the gift on behalf of Chongqing University.
Wang Xu read out the decision to commend winners of awards including outstanding undergraduates, outstanding postgraduates, outstanding graduate cadres and outstanding contribution awards for graduates at the event. Officials and honored guests in the first row of the rostrum presented award winners with honor certificates.
Wang Shilong, vice president of the Academic Degree Evaluation Committee of Chongqing University, read out the academic degree awarding decisions. Four hundred and thirty-four students were granted the doctoral degree, 4,607 were granted the master degree and 5,282 granted the bachelor’s degree in 2020.
Members of the Academic Degree Evaluation Committee, including Shu Lichun, Zhang Zongyi, Liu Hanlong and Wang Shilong, presented graduate representatives with the degree certificates.
During the interaction part of degree awarding, graduates took out their smart phones and expressed their thanks to Chongqing University and their best wishes for and reluctance to separate from the classmates and teachers. Video clips titled Hot Youth, Like Smoke, Singing a Song before Leaving and A Message to Graduates were played at the event. Those video clips showed the unforgettable moments of the graduates of 2020 at Chongqing University and also included best wishes for them.
Photography: Liu Li, Shangyou News, UMD Studio, Postgraduate Work Section, Photography Department, CQU News
Click the following link to download pictures of the 2020 Graduation Ceremony:
https://news.cqu.edu.cn/newsv2/show-19-915-1.html
