2018 Commencement Ceremony of Soochow University Kicked off

Hosted by Liu Biao, the vice president of Soochow University and a member of the standing committee of the school Party committee, 2018 commencement ceremony of Soochow University was held at Dushu Lake Sports Center on June 28th. Attendees presented at the ceremony were some school leaders (including Jiang Yong, XiongSidong, Lu Jianmei, Deng Min, Jiang Xinghong, Chen Weicheng, Zhou Gao, and Zhang Xiaohong), the members of the school academic degree evaluation committee, the graduates completing their undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs in 2018, the supervisors, family members, and relatives or friends of these graduates, the members of all the academic degree evaluation subcommittees, the heads of related functional departments, leaders of all the colleges and schools, teachers and counsellors, student representatives, some foreign teachers and students, and the delegates from the school board and alumni associations.

 


As a brilliant warm-up performance, the music video themed Dances and Songs of the Young, especially made for the 2018 graduation season of the university, displayed the dreams of the graduates in melodious songs and fantastic dances. Besides, the passionate performances of the students from the School of Music, including some classics melodies like the Anthem of Soochow University, Amazing Grace, Childhood, Pomp and Circumstance Marches, Wings of My Words, and Hard to Farewell, were highly appreciated by the audience presented. In addition, as the head of the Department of Student Affairs, Sun Qingmin, also made an introduction of the safety notes to all the audience in the venue. 

 

With the warm applauses of the audience, 30 professors, shouldering the responsibility of conferring related degrees, stepped into the venue slowly.

 

The commencement ceremony kicked off along with the solemn national anthem. With all the audience standing up and singing the national anthem together, the National Flag Group of Soochow University marched into the field in measured steps, and rose the flag slowly in the pace of the passionate national anthem.

 

In accordance with the Regulations of Soochow University and the Detailed Introduction to the Degree Conferring Works of Soochow University, 8457 graduates of our university should be conferred with related degrees in 2018. At the ceremony, Professor Jiang Xinghong, the vice president of the university and a member of the standing committee of the school Party committee, read out the decisions of the school academic degree evaluation committee on coffering Bachelor, Master and Doctor degrees.

  

As the chairman of the school academic degree evaluation committee, President XiongSidong expressed his warmest congratulations to the 8457 graduates who completed their programs successfully. As the Gate of Time was opened with a virtual key, he reviewed the inspiring stories of five students, who completed their corresponding programs by overcoming all kinds of difficulties. Meanwhile, the five graduates also served as new academic stars, top anchors, successful business owners, or active parts in voluntary activities. 

  

On the site of the ceremony, a special guest name "Xiao Su" or the "Info-man of Soochow University" also made an interaction with President XiongSidong. As the first generation of customized terminal robot co-designed by the teachers and students of Soochow University, Xiao Su, the intelligent service provider, helped President Xiong open the Gate of Time with the key on his chest, and displayed the general information of the study and life of all the graduates with a group of bigdata. His funny words and vivid expressions attracted the attention of all the audience and pushed the atmosphere to another climax.

  

Based on the newly provided bigdata and its comparison with that of the last year, President XiongSidong lighten the atmosphere by reading out his findings: "on an average, you graduates have taken 714 lessons per year, and read 112 academic papers. 66.5% of students have expressed that they were suffering from alopecia to some extent. However, as the hairline got higher and higher, you fellows have gained more knowledge and wisdoms. Among all the graduates, 23.41% of the students earned a GPA of 3.6 or above, nearly 2 percent higher than your predecessors… Despite of all the sweetness and bitterness, your journey at Soochow University would be a trip of gaining. Congratulations on your excellence and successes."

  

With the hope that each graduate would bring his own key to gate of future, President XiongSidong sent his best wishes to the graduates with three songs at the end of his speech: he hoped that by sticking to their Original Dreams and opening their Invisible Wings, all the graduates could remain a winner in the Battlefield for Youngsters and a Player One in their own life. In addition, Xiong also hoped that these graduates could write their own Brief History of Time by overlooking humble origins, aiming high and keeping their perseverance and original wills. The warm encouragements from the president have touched many students.   

  

At the time of parting, the university sends each graduate a golden key as the special gift for their graduation. By scanning the two-dimensional code on the "golden key", students could obtain his own "bigdata" report, covering the memories they gained from the military training after their enrollment to the course selections in the computer room, from the club activities they attended to the awards they received… All these precious experiences reminded these graduates of the beginning and the entire process of their life at Soochow University. With the best wishes and kind words of their teachers, the graduates experienced an amazing time travel, and expressed their deep gratitude and the reluctance to leave the school.

 

At the commencement ceremony, the graduates, wearing their academic dresses, stepped onto the stage in a group of 30. With the tassels being re-adjusted and the certificates conferred by respective professors, the graduates would also receive a group photo taken with the professor. For those excellent graduates, they would wear the honorary ribbons for excellent graduates elaborately prepared by the university and receive their certificates before all the other peers. 

  

After the commencement ceremony, all the audience, led by 8 graduates, would sing the song Graduation together, with the hope that these students could enjoy a bright future and the university would make greater achievements.

  

It is worth mentioning that some fellow acquaintances of these graduates, including the chefs of the school canteens, the supervisors of dorms, the security personnel and some delivery boys, were also invited to the ceremony and warmly welcomed by the teachers and students presented. At the ceremony, Mr. Wang, a security guard remarked that it was lucky to accompany these youngsters and witness their growth. He wished all the graduates a bright future and expressed that they would continue to do their part and keep the school safe and sound.

  

"Thanks for cultivating both of my children. I feel proud for my children and lucky to witness such a wonderful moment," said a mother from the Laos, whose children Chun Hua and Wang Jinlong would receive their doctor and bachelor degrees respectively this year. In terms of the future plans, Chun Hua said with great expectations, "my brother would further his study at Soochow University, and I would go back to Laos and construct my homeland with what I learned here by applying the development experience of urbanization in China to that in Laos."

  

Sitting quietly and listening attentively to the president's address in the area for parents, Mr. Xu Tinghua, a gentleman from Shanghai, was extremely excited when the president mentioned Xu Yue, the name of his son. Though experienced terrible family calamity in 2014, Xu still handed in a satisfactory answer to the destiny by virtue of his perseverance and optimism. "Thanks for the favors of all the students and teachers here at Soochow University, Xu Yue could now end his life in the university without any regret. And we are more optimistic about our future life now.", said the father. Meanwhile, Xu Yue, the graduate who was already accepted by a public institution in Shanghai, also expressed that he would further his study at Soochow University when possible. "It is unforgettable to study at Soochow University. The university just becomes my second home, and Suzhou is definitely my homeland.", said Xu at the ceremony. 

  

As the grand event proceeds, many attendees took photos of themselves, their relatives or friends and the entire ceremony with their cellphones and shared these group pictures to their own Weibo or WeChat Moments. With the students indulging in great joys of graduation, the official Weibo of Suzhou University broadcasting lively, students and teachers could interact with one another no matter it was online or offline. Furthermore, with the scenes captured by multi-camera and the rocker arm camera being synchronized on the electronic screens at the stage and both sides of the auditorium, there were even more interactive elements. "With grand procedures and deep affections, the commencement ceremony of our university would become a memory of a lifetime.", the graduates remarked cheerfully.