At 8 a. m., September 11, the opening ceremony for 2021 fresh students was simultaneously held at both Xueyuan Road Campus and Shahe Campus, marking the new journey of more than 9,000 students at Beihang University. Undergraduates and postgraduates attended the ceremony jointly, with a combination of online live-stream and offline experience at the two campuses in a synchronous way.
Among attendees were Beihang Party Committee Secretary Cao Shumin, President Xu Huibin, Vice Secretary of the Party Committee and Discipline Inspection Commission Secretary He Xinzhou, Vice Presidents Liu Shuchun and Tao Zhi, Vice Secretary of the Party Committee Cheng Bo, Chief Designer of China’s Astronauts System Huang Weifen, as well as student, teacher and alumni representatives. The ceremony was hosted by Cheng Bo.
After all the participating students and staff watched a video named “Chasing Dream in Sky and Challenging the Future”, the ceremony officially kicked off in the solemn national anthem.
On behalf of all faculty members and students at Beihang, President Xu Huibin extended a warm welcome to more than 9,000 fresh students from all over China. He then reviewed the past 69-year development of Beihang, and heartened the newcomers to be as diligent and resilient as seniors, and devote themselves to the nation by realizing their full potential and missions.
President Xu encouraged all the students to inherit the Beihang spirit manifested in dedicating themselves to serving the country. Students, as a new generation of youth at Beihang, are expected to stick to their original aspirations as the engine for researching and striving for their dreams in the deeds of national rejuvenation. President Xu also hoped that all the students would enjoy a bright future by seizing the day and living it to the fullest.
Cao Shumin read out the prize winners of the 2021 Scholarship for New Graduate Students, and the honorary certificates were presented to the winners on stage by leaders.
Diao Jiayi, a 2021 freshman from the School of Future Aerospace Technology / ShenYuan Honors College, delivered a speech as an undergraduate representative. Enjoying the highest grade of students entering Beihang from Sichuan Province, Diao shared his yearning for a new life at Beihang and sheer determination to devote himself to China’s aviation development.
As a representative of the new postgraduates, Liu Yuhan from the School of Astronautics conveyed her resolution to devote herself to the nation by fulfilling her mission. She made a commitment to be ambitious, tough and confident, and contributing to national rejuvenation.
Jiang Nan, a Ph.D. student from the School of Aeronautic Science and Engineering, shared his harvest gained in the past decade at Beihang. He appealed to all the students to improve their ability to innovate and face scientific challenges while persevering in chasing dreams despite setbacks and obstacles.
Professor Zhao Lidong from the School of Materials Science and Engineering spoke as a representative of teachers. He shared his opinions with the students with the key words of orientation, capability and passion, hoping every student realize the value of life by devoting to the cause of the country and the people.
Huang Weifen, the chief designer of China’s Astronauts System, who obtained her Bachelor’s degree from the School of Aeronautic Science and Engineering in 1985, addressed a speech as the alumni representative. She shared her own experience of being a female astronaut coach to inspire the juniors, expecting them to combine the theory with practice and strive to be extraordinary through working tirelessly and keeping feet on the ground.
At the ceremony, the university leaders presented letters of appointment to counselor representatives. Cao Shumin and Xu Huibin presented school badges to the freshmen representatives. All the 2021 fresh students wore their badges on their clothes.
“As a fresh student of Beihang, I will uphold the motto of Beihang University: to acquire both ability and moral integrity and to combine knowledge and practice; I will stick to our original aspiration and mission, and dedicate to the service of the country. I will become a Beihanger who is patriotic, upstanding and honest, innovative and creative, action-oriented, and successful. It is I who shoulder the responsibility of building a powerhouse!” All the new students swore the oath with the voice echoing in the two campuses as well as their minds.
The opening ceremony came to an end with all the faculty members and students chorusing the university anthem “Looking up to the Starry Sky”.
Reported by Wang Qing
Photographed by Di Bailu, Zhang Zhibo, Chen Jiaheng, Li Yi, Qin Yuhang, Zhu Quan, Wang Zhen, and Zhang Keli
Reviewed by Li Jianwei
Edited by Jia Aiping
Translated by Li Yifan
