ZISU Opening Ceremony 2014 held
The ZISU opening ceremony for the 2014 freshmen kicked off in the Dream Auditorium of Xiaoheshan Campus, accompanied by a solemn national anthem, in this golden Autumn with smanthus fragrance, on September 21. Yao Chengrong, Hong Gang, Zhao Fa, Luo Bowei, Jin Yuncheng, Lu Aihua, Zhao Qingrong, Shen Gang, Zhang Jiansheng, Zhang Huanzhou attended the opening ceremony, sitting in the first row of the podium. Those present also included the deans of each school and the directors of the related functional departments sitting in the second row of the podium. Zhao Fa, deputy Party Secretary, presided over the opening ceremony in both Chinese and English.
Harboring dreams and hopes, the 2014 freshmen stepped onto the beautiful campus of ZISU, thus setting sail for their new phase of life journey. Hong Gang, president of ZISU, delivered a speech in idiomatic English. Hong Gong sincerely said, “You will no longer enjoy the pleasure of sitting through eight hours of lectures for five to six days a week. You will no longer have the privilege of waking early for mandatory self-study. Teachers and parents will no longer be chasing you around trying to coax you into studying for one more hour or finishing another practice test. No one will tell you what you should do next; you are now the sole person making decisions for yourself.”
President Hong ensured the new students that “Your time here will not be boring. We have many wonderful opportunities for you. For example, we invite scholars to deliver lectures of various kinds on a regular basis. Our university offers special programs and courses to students from abroad, which is also open for all students. As a foreign language institute, we have partnerships with higher education institutions and organizations all over the world. We provide our students with more than 30 study-abroad programs and many overseas internship opportunities. Besides, we have students going to the United States and Mexico to teach Chinese every year. We also have cooperation with Beijing Foreign Studies University and Beijing International Studies University. Our students are encouraged to experience university life in Beijing by applying for exchange study with either of these two universities.
“How to make college career perfect?" Hong Gang recalled his own studying experience, hoping that the 2014 freshmen should be ambitious, hard working, and balanced in life. Hong reminded the students that they ought to think carefully about what they want to do for the three or four years, and then set goals in this direction and move steadily forward towards them and that they should cherish every opportunity to study. Hong also added that three or four years in college is the best time to dig deeply into one’s study field and enlarge one’s general knowledge, and that knowing one’s field well in college lays a solid foundation for one’s future career or one’s follow-on education, that try to be happy and lead a balanced life, and that be mindful that success is not just about academic achievements and good health, love from your family, and support from friends are all essential elements of success.
Li Shenglu, professor of School of English Language and Culture, entitled “Advanced Individual of Examplary Teachers in Zhejiang Province”and “Provincial Excellent Teacher”, gave a speech on behalf of all the teaching staff. Starting from the school motto of “Virtue, Perseverance, Erudition, Practicality”, Li holds that the school motto is the miniature embodiment of the ZISU spirit, and it is also the benchmark in life for both teachers and students. Every word of his speech is profound in meaning, to the effect that all the teachers and students should have both the family and the nation in mind and cultivate a sound sense of virtue, that all the teachers and students should aim high and persevere, that all the teachers and students should view the world from an international perspective, and that all the teachers and students should master what they have learnt so as to apply it into practice flexibly.
Professor Zhang Yuexi from School of International Business Administration also made a lecture. He said that ZISU students should strive to achieve the following nine points: to develop a sound habit focusing on and spreading positive energy, to master a solid professional skill, to gain high proficiency in a foreign language, to participate in a professional association, to organize a social welfare practice, to chair or participate in a research project, to participate in a national academic competitions, to participate in an international exchange program, and to publish an academic paper. According to Zhang, these nine points can really enable a person to become successful and excellent.
Dr. Sophie Rimbaud also made a wonderful speech on behalf of all the foreign teachers, attracting bursts of applause from those present. She reminded the students not to be intimidated by the seemingly big world, which is shrinking when you harbor dreams, when you come into contact with new friends, and when you experience a new culture. And the world will be different because of you, because you are the hope of the future.
Liu Jianan and Ren Wenfang, as well as Yu Lijian and Wang Cong spoke on behalf of the already and new students respectively at the ceremony.
The university leaders helped the freshmen representatives from each school to put on university badge to mark the official beginning of their life here on this campus.
Keeping in mind the university motto of “virtue, perseverance, erudition and practicality”, all the 2014 freshmen made a firm oath to conclude this ceremony.
The participants also included student counselors, class teachers for 2014 freshmen, as well as all freshmen.
