A grand ceremony was held on Sept. 2ndto welcome Class 2019 of SCU undergraduates in the gymnasium on Jiang’an campus. 9,019 freshmen from across China officially launched a new chapter of their life at Sichuan University under the witness of their teachers, families and friends.
Seated on the rostrum were Jianguo Wang, Chairman of the university council, President Yanrong Li, Academician Jie Gao of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, outstanding professors of Zhisheng You and Wei Huo, and university leaders such as Zhijian Chen, Shijing Yan, Taiping Hou, Weilin Xu, Ping Cao, Rongjun Li, Lin Zhang and Zhi Tu, along with the principal leaders of the colleges and alumni representatives. Vice Lin Zhang presided over the opening ceremony.
President Yanrong Li delivered a speech "University is the Amplifier of Life" at the ceremony. On behalf of the university, he warmly welcomed all the new students who got admitted to Sichuan University with excellent examination scores and expressed his heartfelt thanks to parents and friends. He pointed out that we are in a period of unprecedented changes in the world and historical opportunities for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Students have the mission of representing China to perform and become leaders on the world stage in the next 20 to 30 years. Yanrong Li also indicated that the university is the place to broaden the students' horizon and their outlook. "As long as one has a wide viewpoint, one can not only go deep, but also expand, and even dare to walk on the edge of crossing borders." Referring to Yu Yang for an example, ( an SCU alumnus of Class 2003 of West China School of Pharmacy and director ofNezhao,a recent hit in movie theatres ), Yanrong Li told the students earnestly: Everyone is a treasure. Only when you open up your view can you find that you have so many possibilities. Secondly, the university can amplify a student’s excellent qualities. He hoped that the students would encourage each other, appreciate each other’s good qualities and learn from each other in order to scale new highs in life. Thirdly, the university reinforces a student’s innovation and creativity.
With regard to this new group of adults who are about to start a new chapter in their lives at Sichuan University, Yanrong Li has high expectations and is full of confidence. He said: "I hope that students should continue to study hard. In addition, they should also enlarge their vision and magnify their excellent qualities and creativity in the four years of university. Furthermore, they ought to expand their knowledge scope so that the university really becomes the most important amplifier in life."
Changwei Hu, a national expert teacher, professor of College of Chemistry, and director of the Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Technology (Ministry of Education), delivered a speech as a teacher's representative. He sincerely and warmly congratulated all the new students of Class 2019 and offered them best wishes for their study and life. He expected the students to cultivate character and develop upright morality, acquiring the values and pursuits of Sichuan University students in a new era. He also hoped that the new students would transition quickly from high school to university and become rational university students. He encouraged the new students to nurture a good understanding of SCU spirit and cultural heritage so that they could reach higher levels and make greater achievements.
Bin Zhou, an outstanding alumnus and 2001 graduate of Polymer Materials and Engineering from College of Polymer Science and Engineering, is President of Kangjia Group Co., Ltd. He shared with the new students his wonderful experience studying at Sichuan University. He stated that Sichuan University was a new starting point of his wonderful life. He called upon all the new students to seize the moment, study hard, and pursue dreams passionately.
Bin Li, a Class 2015 undergraduate of West China School of Stomatology, and Xici Jiang, a Class 2019 undergraduate of Law School/Wu Yuzhang Honors College, made speeches as representatives of students and freshmen respectively. They both expressed their sincere gratitude toward all their teachers and parents. They also encouraged all new students to meet the challenges and forged ahead. Finally, they wished all new students of 2019 the best of luck with their studies at the university.
Standing up, all the teachers, students and parents sang in chorus “My Motherland and I” to express their appreciation and affection for the motherland.
After the opening ceremony, Distinguished Professor Maokang Luo, taught the first lesson of honesty education for the new undergraduates: “From the Essence of Morality to Academic Honesty”. He expounded the concept of academic honesty using easy-to-understand language and illustrations, advising the students to abide by morals and maintain integrity. He also called upon the students to work hard, seek truth from facts and be innovative and strive to become backbones of the cause of national rejuvenation.
