On June 2, Zhejiang University – University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign Institute (ZJUI) held a grand commencement to confer upon the graduating Class of 2024 their University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) B.S. degrees on the International Campus of Zhejiang University. This year, the UIUC delegation traveled across the ocean to Haining to award UIUC degrees to 213 ZJUI graduating students with good wishes and expectations.
▲ Commencement for the ZJUI Class of 2024
Professor Du Jiangfeng, President of Zhejiang University, and Professor Robert J. Jones, Chancellor of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, delivered speeches. Also present at the ceremony were Professor Zhou Jianghong, Vice President of Zhejiang University, Professor He Lianzhen, Co-Chair of ZJU-UIUC Institute Joint Management Committee, Professor Yan Jianhua, Vice Chairman of Development Committee and Master of Weixue College, Professor Ying Yibin, Vice Chairman of Development Committee and Master of Guantong College, and Mr. Barry Benson, Vice Chancellor of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
▲ Prof. Du Jiangfeng, President of ZJU, made a speech
Professor Du Jiangfeng extended a warm welcome to the UIUC delegation that came from afar and sincerely congratulated the ZJUI graduating Class of 2024 on successfully obtaining the UIUC degree. “Educational cooperation is always a crucial aspect of cultural exchanges between the two countries and a significant driver of sustainable development in higher education. Since Zhejiang University and UIUC collaborated to establish the Institute in 2016,. Both universities have effectively integrated the strengths, created a premier platform for educational innovation and a broad stage for global dialogue.” said President Du. President Du also said that graduating from the university is not an endpoint, but a comma in our life story. The future offers a vast stage for graduates to showcase talents. Additionally, President Du expected graduates to firmly believe in the integration of knowledge and action, coupled with lifelong learning, while upholding a persistent spirit of progress to continuously surpass yourselves; hold fast to the essence of truth-seeking and pragmatism, overcome challenges with realistic spirit, and inject youthful vitality into the collective progress of our society; shoulder the mission of "taking the world as your own duty", to contribute to the progress of mankind and the commonwealth of the world.
▲ Prof. Robert J. Jones, President of UIUC, made a speech
Robert J. Jones extended warm congratulations to the newest graduating class of ZJUI and expressed his gratitude to Zhejiang University for the strong support and leadership of this ground-breaking partnership. “You have the distinction of holding not just a single degree from one of the top universities in the world. You have earned two degrees from two of the world’s great universities.” said by Chancellor Jones. He expressed earnest hope that graduates would demonstrate resilience when events, opportunities and plans changed rapidly; adapted quickly when your university experience was delivered in new ways; show leadership when you were asked to do things that have never been done before.
▲ Prof. K.C. Ting, Head Emeritus, Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, UIUC, and Former Vice Dean of International Campus, ZJU, spoke as a faculty representative
Professor K.C. Ting, Head Emeritus, Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, UIUC, and Former Vice Dean of International Campus, ZJU, spoke as a faculty representative. He encouraged graduates to develop both“hard skills” and “ soft skills”, think globally, work locally, cultivate diverse cultural understanding, thus making yourselves well prepared and qualified to become highly successful engineers, who can function and lead in the global environment.
▲ Ma Zicheng, student representative, class of 2024, made a speech
Ma Zicheng, student representative, class of 2024, reviewed the gains and reflections of university life, and made a bright outlook and expectations for the future.
At the ceremony, the Class of 2024 walked across the stage individually to welcome the “last lesson” of the university. Chancellor Robert J. Jones and Professor Rashid Bashir presented the degree certificate for each student. Heads of relevant colleges and departments of ZJU, as well as relevant discipline coordinators, leaders of the International Campus, heads of various offices, departments, and institutes, and ZJUI faculty and staff attended the ceremony. The ceremony was hosted by Professor Lee Der-Horng, Dean of ZJUI. Professor Jin Jianming, Executive Dean of ZJUI, announced the list of graduates.
▲ Chancellor Robert J. Jones and Prof. Rashid Bashir presented the degree certificate for each student
▲Prof. Lee Der-Horng, Dean of ZJUI, hosted the ceremony
▲ Prof. Jin Jianming, Executive Dean of ZJUI, announced the list of graduates
After receiving the degree from UIUC, the Class of 2024 will also obtain their bachelor’s degrees from Zhejiang University. Upon their graduation, they will leave for domestic and foreign well-known universities to continue their further their studies, with full of harvest and hope, tenacity and responsibility, global vision and national sentiment.
▲ 学生入场
