On the morning of June 19, the 2021 Beihang University Graduation and Commencement Ceremony for Undergraduates was grandly held at Beihang Gymnasium. More than 3,800 undergraduates of the class of 2021 and nearly 900 undergraduates of the class of 2020 attended the ceremony and witnessed the important moment of their life.
Among the attendees were Beihang Party Committee Secretary Cao Shumin, President Xu Huibin, Vice Presidents Liu Shuchun, Huang Haijun and Zhang Guang, Deputy Party Secretary Zhao Gang, alumni representative Li Dong, teacher representatives Gong Shengkai from the School of Materials Science and Engineering, Su Donglin from the School of Electronics and Information Engineering and Zhao Weisheng from the School of Integrated Circuit Science and Engineering, and leaders from various schools and departments. Vice President Huang Haijun presided over the ceremony.
The four years of precious college experiences gradually unfolded before the graduates’ eyes as the memories were pieced together by the opening video Set Sail for a New Journey (in Chinese: Qi Hang Xin Zheng Cheng), which reviewed the glittering moments full of youthful vitality and hard work.
The graduation ceremony formally kicked off with the solemn national anthem on the warm and sunny Saturday morning. The blue and white seats were arranged in a unique pattern, with the words “I ♥ BUAA”.
The graduation ceremony also witnessed the honorary awarding ceremony for Outstanding Graduates of Universities in Beijing announced by Cao Shumin, Undergraduate Defense Employment Scholarship announced by Liu Shuchun, and the list of 197 undergraduates who would take the position of Alumni Class Liaison announced by Zhang Guang.
In his address to the graduating students, President Xu Huibin reviewed the past four years which were unforgettable and wonderful for all and affirmed students’ outstanding performance and achievements in various fields. He expressed his earnest expectation for the graduates, hoping that all the graduates will continue to carry forward the aerospace spirit to serve the country and study the history of the Party, the nation and the university carefully to pass on the Red Spirit and be relentless in realizing great dreams with patriotism.
In his graduation message, President Xu shared his three expectations for the graduates. The first is to set great ambitions and have great aspirations. The second is to be persistent in pursuing a better life with relentless struggle. The third is to be confident and fearless, and continue to enrich their mind and make progress.
Following President Xu’ s address, representative of 2021 graduates Xia Yuchen from the School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation looked back on his four-year study and research life in Beihang and expressed his gratitude for his teachers and Alma Mater.
Teacher representative Prof. Zhao Weisheng shared three insights with the graduates. He encouraged the graduates to consider learning as a lifelong habit and pursue excellence, make serving the country a lifelong belief to promote the realization of sci-tech self-reliance and self-strengthening, and remember the responsibility as a Beihanger and grow with Beihang together.
Alumni representative Li Dong, chief designer of the Long March 5 rocket family, recalled his college years and growth experience, shared his experience and thoughts on his 21 years of developing the Long March 5-series rockets, and encouraged students to stick to the spirit that elder generations of Beihangers explored the space to serve the nation.
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China. The ceremony ended with all graduates singing Without the Communist Party, There Would Be No New China (in Chinese: Mei You Gong Chan Dang Jiu Mei You Xin Zhong Guo) to express their deep affection and best wishes for the Party and the motherland.
In the following degree-awarding ceremony, university leaders and teachers plucked the tassel from the honorary hoods and awarded degrees and certificates to the new graduates. With the best wishes and blessings from Beihang teachers and students, the graduates will start a brand-new chapter in their life.
Reported by Wang Qing
Photographed by Di Bailu, Liu Yaoze, Tian Wenhao, Zhu Quan, Zhang Keli and Zhang Dengke
Reviewed by Song Xiaodong
Edited by Jia Aiping and Li Zhuoyang
Translated by Li Zhuoyang
