On the morning of June 24, the 2020 Graduation Ceremony of School of Life Sciences was held in the comprehensive gymnasium of Xiang'an campus. Faculties and the 2020 graduates of bachelor's degree, master's degree and PhD degree attended the graduation ceremony. The ceremony was presided over by Prof. Xianming Deng , the Vice Dean of School of Life Sciences.
With the National Anthem playing, the ceremony officially began. Prof. Dawang Zhou, Vice-president of Xiamen University and Dean of School of Life Sciences first addressed to all the graduates. He sincerely congratulated the 2020 graduates on their graduation, and expressed his gratitude to all the teachers, parents and people who offered support and care to the graduates. He said that the 2020 graduates are a special group. They have not only witnessed great events as the 2017 BRICS Xiamen Summit, the 70th anniversary of the founding of new China and the Countdown to the Centennial Celebration of Xiamen University, but also experienced setbacks and challenges such as the Moranti Typhoon and the Covid-19 epidemic. By quoting President Xi Jinping and XMU alumni Hongliang Zhang, he shared the idea of asking for trouble and instructed graduates to always remain patriotic, be in awe and gratitude and never to covet comfort. At the end, Prof. Dawang Zhou expressed his firm faith in the future of the graduates and also his hope that they would often come back especially to attend the centenary of Xiamen University in 2021 and the centenary of School of Life Sciences in 2022.
Prof. Feng Guo, the teacher representative and head teacher of the undergraduate class, put forward three sincere hopes to the graduates: to keep a learning heart and an open mind exercised in school, to constantly reflect on themselves, have their own opinions and do not blindly follow others; to grow into people with realm, responsibility, ambition and love for family and country, be down-to-earth, learn to practice, and realize their value and fulfill personal development in the practice of serving the country; to keep a true heart and face the unknown challenges bravely in the future.
Weichao Su, representative of PhD degree graduates, Xinxin Hong, representative of master's degree graduates, Ruifeng Sun, representative of bachelor's graduates made speeches respectively. Weichao Su sincerely thanked the cultivation of the School. He said that the 2020 graduates will take on their responsibilities given by the state, the nation and the society, and make use of their knowledge in various related fields. Xinxin Hong shared that youth is for struggle, and graduation is not the end. Only through continuous struggle, will training, skill improvement and comprehensive development, can they better help realize the Chinese dream and create new glory for the new era. Ruifeng Sun said that his fulfilling undergraduate life gave him a platform to know the world and himself and that the 2020 graduates will keep the spirit of School of Life Sciences in mind, and embrace infinite possibilities in the future.
Alumni are the most precious wealth of a university. They gather from and go to all corners of the world and Xiamen University is always concerned. Haorui Ge and Xuefeng Ge, the deputy secretaries of CPC committee of School of Life Sciences, issued letters of appointment to the 2020 alumni liaison members.
At the end of the Ceremony, representatives of graduates presented and passed the banner of School of Life Sciences to their juniors on campus, which symbolizes the spirit of the School has been passed down from generation to generation, and the firm will of students to explore is endless.
Graduation is not only the node of a stage of life, but also the starting point of a new life journey. Hope the 2020 graduates of School of Life Sciences can adhere to the school motto of self-improvement and perfection, keep in mind the cultivation of Xiamen University and the earnest teaching of teachers, give full play to their knowledge and skills, contribute to the construction of our motherland, and the realization of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the Chinese dream!
