On the morning of July 6th, the graduation ceremony of the class 2020 was held in the central square of Chang’an campus. All the university leaders, faculty and students representatives jointly witnessed 6554 graduates bid farewell to NWU and embarked on a new journey of life. Wang Yajie, Chairman of the University Council, sent a message to the graduates, and the President, Guo Lihong, delivered a graduation speech.
The ceremony began with the majestic national anthem. Wang Yajie and Guo Lihong presented awards to the winners of the NWU 2020 Outstanding Student Wisteria Award. Lv Jianrong, Deputy Chairman of the University Council, hosted the ceremony. Wang Yaoyu, vice president, announced the commendation decision. Geng Guohua, a national-known famous teacher and professor from the School of Information Science and Technology, and university leaders Lei Zhongpeng, Zhao Zuoniu, Li Bangbang, Wang Yaoyu, Wang Zhengbin, Lai Shaocong, Xi Jiami, Zhang Zengfang, and Tian Minggang jointly presented awards to the outstanding graduate representatives.
Huang Yi, the winner of the 2020 Outstanding Student Wisteria Award; Long Han, the representative of the outstanding graduates, and SOBOLEVA LIUBOV, the representative of the international graduate students, shared their experience at NWU and expressed their gratitude and farewell to NWU.
The winner of the "Shaanxi Youth May 4th Medal"-- the head of the paleontology research team of Northwest University, the winner of the "Young female Scientist Award", Professor Liu Jianni of the Department of Geology, delivered a speech at the ceremony as the faculty representative. The topic of her speech was "Life is more than just good times, we need to stay active and strong towards the ups and downs of Life”. She encouraged the graduates to be positive and motivated in their future. Mr. Cui Peiqin, an excellent alumnus of the class 1977 of Northwest University, expressed his profound feelings with the stories of four generations of his family being the NWUers.
Guo Lihong addressed a speech on " Tempering your youth, striving for a better-self, and becoming a responsible young man in the new era”. He stressed that the special experience of fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic is a thorough baptism of life, and the past university experience is a profound imprint of life. He encouraged the graduates to be brave in the growing path and know “when to stop with a heart of awe”, “how to move forward with a heart of faith”, “when to hold heavy duties with a heart of responsibility” in order to become a responsible person.
In his parting message to the graduates of the class 2020, Wang Yajie asked the graduates to deeply understand the "changing situation", grasp the "overall situation" and shape the "pattern" in the light of the great changes that have not happened in the world in the past century and China's comprehensive, profound and long-term influence on the world. He reminded the graduates to accurately hold onto the opportunities and challenges brought by the great changes in the world, and be aware of the advantages of "governance of China". He encouraged the graduates to have great ambitions, make great achievements, keep hard-working spirit, make unremitting efforts, hence creating a life worthy of the country, the times and themselves.
The graduate representatives made a deep bow to the faculty and staff and presented flowers to express their respect and gratitude. Subsequently, the university leaders delivered souvenirs to the graduate representatives. The Lantian Jade Seal has become the symbol and link of the everlasting friendship between NWU and its graduates of each class. The Lantian Jade Seal makes the feelings of the motherland and the alma mater complement each other, and let the spirit of NWU to be remembered by its graduates for a lifetime. All the best wishes are condensed in the small but warm jade stone, wishing its graduates to have a bright future.
The Deans’ messages were sent to the graduates in the form of a warm-up video. All Deans and Directors from respective schools and departments expressed their deep blessings and ardent expectations for the graduates.
The ceremony ended successfully in the university song. After the ceremony, all the graduates successively rubbed their seals engraved with their names on the "Graduation Roll" as a precious souvenir for NWU.