President Wen Tao at the 2016 Graduation Ceremony    Photo by Yun Bai

Dear graduates, parents and teachers,

Good morning!

Today is a special day for DNUI. Gathering here, we celebrate the graduation of 3583 undergraduates and junior college students. Having finished college study, your will start a new chapter of your life. At this moment of harvest and glory, and on behalf of the leading group and the faculty, I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to you! My regard also goes to your parents! And my appreciation goes to the teachers who have cultivated you!

Four years have slipped away through our fingers. My memory goes back to September 20th in 2012, the day of the Opening Ceremony for freshmen. At that time, I hoped that four years from then you would learn how to study, how to deal with affairs, how to behave yourselves and cooperate with others through college study. In the past four years, you have explored in the palace of knowledge; you have innovated in your life and study, and you have practiced the ethos of “Think Creatively, Learn Actively and Apply Skillfully”. Today, I’m delighted to see the confidence, independence, growth and progress in you. 

I have learned recently that some of you plan to start a business with your own graduation design. To name a few, Guo Xiao from Department of Digital Arts starts a bookstore both online and offline based on his graduation design of “Wanxiang Bookstore”. And the “Smart Food Processor” invented by Zhang Yapeng etc. from Department of Computer Science and Technology was certificated the National Patent. By now, they have established their incorporated company. Moreover, some of you have decided to study abroad. For instance, winning the first place, Jia Haishan from Department of Japanese received a graduate study offer from Oberlin University in Japan. She is the only Chinese student at Oberlin University who is awarded Japanese National Scholarship. And most of you are going to step out of the campus into the society, changing your role as students to workplace freshmen.

Wherever you have stepped out, please bear in mind that do not choose to seek comfort and ease when you are supposed to work hard. As long as you come down to earth and persevere with your own choice, all of you will achieve success one day. After this ceremony, you will wave farewell to DNUI, and practice “Students Create the Value of Society” with our education philosophy of “Education Creates the Value of Students”. As the president, at this moment of parting, I have a few words to say to you:  

Firstly, hold fast to your dreams. Some of you have clear dreams, while some are still working this out. The path towards dream is not always flat and wide. There will be delightful achievement and praise as well as unexpected setbacks and disappointment. After all, “dream” is not “daydream”. I do hope that you could face both reality and your dreams objectively and rationally. Starting from trivial things and one step at a time, and combining your ultimate dream with short-term goals, you will improve yourselves and realize your dream.

Secondly, be innovative. As the theme of this age, innovation has been playing a leading role in promoting social development. In the era of “Internet Plus”, universities shoulder the great responsibility of the innovation of knowledge and talent cultivation. Since the moment of establishment, DNUI has initiated and adhered to a characteristic approach of college education. Meanwhile, DNUI lays emphasis on the cultivation of students’ creative thinking, enterprising consciousness, as well as innovative and entrepreneurship spirit and ability, in the hope that after graduation, you would adhere to and carry forward DNUI’s innovative and enterprising culture, be creative, forge ahead with determination and create the value of yourselves and the society along with the development of times.   

Thirdly, live and learn. The world is developing at full speed and knowledge update is gathering pace. Digitalization is bound to bring about revolutionary changes to the society. It is predicted that 40% of traditional industries and enterprises will go through reforms within three years. To adjust to these changes, you have to develop the habit of lifelong learning, keep abreast of “new theories, new technology, new tools, new applications and new products” of the industry, and update your knowledge structure constantly. Intensive and extensive study enables you to be talents of today; and effective application enables you to become a better self of tomorrow. May you create a better life through continuous learning. 

Fourthly, be grateful. Youth is a journey where you gain life experience and grow up. In your college days, you’ve met roommates and classmates from all over the country and formed lasting friendship; you’ve received inspiration and instruction from teachers and developed close teacher-student relationship; and far away from home during your college years, you’ve redefined selfless love from parents. I hope that you would be grateful for your fellow classmates, for teachers who once asked you to answer questions in the class, and for your parents who have made sacrifice and accompanied you through your life. Embrace your future with a heart of gratitude and live a fulfilling day every day.

Hold fast to your dreams and your life will be filled with hope; be innovative and the road ahead will be more smooth; live and learn and you will be confident in realizing your dreams; be grateful and your life journey will be full of sunshine. In your future days, DNUI will always be there for you. Please keep in mind that she is your harbor whenever you are weary.

Finally, I wish all of you graduates a bright future! May happiness exist everywhere in your life! Thank you!