SEU held 2021 freshman opening ceremony

On October 9, SEU held the Opening Ceremony of 2021 at Jiulonghu Campus. In the afternoon of October 9, a galaxy of talents gathered together on this grand verdant lawn. Waving the national and school flags, the undergraduate, master, and doctoral freshmen of Class 2021 ushered in the important moment in their lives with excitement. Zuo Wei, Secretary of CPC SEU Party Committee, President Zhang Guangjun, Guan Henglu, the liaison staff for Party Construction in Universities of the Ministry of Education and the former Secretary of CPC NAU Party Committee, Zheng Jiamao and Ren Lijian, Vice Secretary of CPC SEU Party Committee, Vice President Huang Dawei and Zhong Wenqi, President Assistant Ren Zuping, partial middle-level cadres and faculty representatives attended the ceremony, which was presided over by Zheng Jiamao. It is the first time that undergraduate, master and doctoral students of SEU attended the opening ceremony together on the grand lawn at Jiulonghu Campus.

As the Five-Starred Red Flag rose high, the opening ceremony kicked off with the solemn national anthem of the People's Republic of China. 

At the ceremony, Zhang Guangjun made a speech titled “Inheriting the History, Creating the Future” to welcome the undergraduate and master freshmen of Class 2021 with affectionate remarks. 

He said, "What the Great Learning teaches is to illustrate illustrative virtue, to renovate the people, and to strive for perfection" SEU, the choice of our students, is exactly the shrine for learners highlighting time-honored history, profound culture, pursuit of excellence and enlightenment. He further introduced the students to SEU's brilliant history, profound culture, revolutionary traditions, reform & development, and remarkable contributions, and emphasized that it is owed to the continuous and tenacious struggles waged by generations of SEU people that we forged our educational philosophy and mission of "Being World-renowned with Science and Serving the Country with Talents".

Zhang Guangjun encouraged the students that China has reached a critical point for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation amid unprecedented transition of the world for a century. Our fellow students are born to the great times with a weight on their shoulders while also facing challenges. Once entering SEU, our fellow students will become part of SEU’s community of shared future, and the contributors to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the wellbeing of human community with a shared future. Zhang Guangjun remarked that we must learn history before getting the great truth. History is the best textbook and also the best teacher. Our fellow students must strive for keeping abreast with the times and fulfilling our mission in history, and realize dreams and create the future with history.

To help the students lay a solid foundation for their lives from the beginning, and start the journey in SEU, Zhang Guangjun raised three points: firstly, the students should study history diligently and be a pioneer of the age with confidence. By learning history, he expected the students to bear faith, absorb wisdom, maintain the focus, and improve the realm. With great affection for the Party, our nation and socialism, students should be firm in lofty ideals and beliefs, consciously integrate the pursuit of personal ideals into the cause of the Party and the State, have the ambition and the backbone as a Chinese, and endeavor to spearhead the times. Secondly, the students should inherit the history and actively shoulder the mission. He expected the students to bear "The Top Priorities of the Country" in mind, make it their mission to realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and vigorously transform the great historical spirit into the power for shouldering the historical mission. Thirdly, the students should bravely make history and continuously struggle with dignity. He expected the students to enhance the crisis awareness, aim at international leaders, commit to innovation, relentlessly delve into their studies by concrete action, and develop all-round ability in areas such as morals, intelligence, physical fitness, work and aesthetics, in a bid to achieve the supreme personality and a meaning life while fighting for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Lastly, Zhang Guangjun expressed his best wishes to the students who are going to initiate the brand-new school life, hoping they could march forward with dream, live up to the times with an eye for history, and work together to write a new chapter of their own and SEU with Chinese dream for the great rejuvenation.

Wang Hao, the teacher representative from School of Civil Engineering, stated that it is the right time for the fellow students to fight their way, and all teachers of SEU will give strong support on their path to success. He said, "We will build up a bridge for you to professionalism, moral education and the future. Your success is our greatest glory and pride. Wish you could cherish your time and live up to the times, integrate personal ideals into the national rejuvenation. Wish you treasure the wonderful university time, be assiduous in learning and strive to stand out in SEU!"

Zhang Jinghan, an undergraduate of Class 2019 from School of Computer Science and Engineering, College of Software Engineering and School of Artificial Intelligence, made a speech as the representative of students at school. She encouraged the freshmen to thoroughly make attempts after completing the schoolwork, identify the direction of life you are interested in, and make like-minded friends. She said, “Whatever you choose, you should take action immediately without hesitation, delay and wait for elapse of the precious youth.”

Sun Weiwei, a freshman from Chien-shiung Wu College, has five family members in three generations who all once studied in SEU. She shared her strong love for SEU and the efforts made by her to become a real SEUer. She said, "On September 22, the day of enrollment, my grandparents and parents escorted me to the gate of the university. It sounded like a relay of my family. With excitement, I walked into Jiulonghu Campus, marveling at the solemnity and elegance of Liwenzheng Library, cheered by the two canteens in Taoyuan and touched by the academic atmosphere of the school. I firmly believe it is what I yearn for my campus life."

Ling Taiyang, a postgraduate of Class 2021 from School of Information Science and Engineering, made a speech as the representative of postgraduates. He said, "When I attended the opening ceremony for undergraduates four years ago, I have determined to make full use of these four years in a down-to-earth manner. At this moment, I am standing here to make a speech just like my seniors at that time. Looking into your bright eyes, I could feel the confidence and pride of our youth. I am now on a new starting point. I believe there must be a broad road ahead!"

Yong Qiang, a doctoral Pakistan freshman from Medical School, remarked, "Though I am a doctoral freshman, I have been in Nanjing for five years, and have connections with SEU for four years. SEU is my second home! With love for the university, I choose to further study here." Yong Qiang also said he would remember the school motto “Striving for Perfection”, and start his new campus life with hope and dream to realize his ideals.

The freshmen of School of Medicine made the oath of medical students under the leadership of Dean Liu Bicheng. All freshmen of Class 2021 wore the school badge of SEU solemnly. The opening ceremony ended with the motivating school song of SEU.

Before the opening ceremony, SEU held an open day for all freshmen. With such diversified themes as "Origin of Centennial Party History", "Discovery of 120-year SEU History", "Campus Life Discovery", "Varied Activities Exploration" and "Faculty Culture", multiple department, colleges, student organizations, and student societies conducted open roadshow presentations via on-site promotional materials display, physical exhibits and small-scale performance etc., expecting that these freshmen could understand the colorful campus life of SEU by means of "garden parties and visits" etc.

Photos by Hang Tian

Written by Tang Tang

Revised by Shu Yuan

Proofread by Melody Zhang

Edited by Luo Xinyi 

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