Honoured guests, students, and colleagues,
Summer is here, and so is a turning point in the lives of our graduates. It is the time to mark an end and a time to celebrate a new beginning. To help our graduates celebrate this turning point in life, I am proud to present Professor Chen Shi-yi, a star of science, a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and above all, an outstanding educator. He is the model of what you can one day become. Please join me in giving our distinguished guest the warmest UIC welcome.
Graduates, this day belongs to you all. My only regret is that you have spent more than half of your years at UIC in the shadow of the pandemic. But even in these difficult days, there is a silver lining. You have managed to come through the challenges with flying colours. Today, we celebrate you.
Many of you may feel that the virus has "stolen" part of your youth. But we can also say that your youth has migrated to the Cloud where much of your learning and networking took place. Technology has come to our rescue. Because of the wonderful technology, you have been able to cope with the crisis wonderfully.
We owe a big part of our success to the tens of thousands of dedicated health workers and professionals who have sacrificed so much to keep us safe.
All of us owe them a debt of gratitude.
Graduates, you also owe your parents and teachers a greater debt of gratitude for guiding you, supporting you, and helping you across the finish line. Let us give them a much-deserved loud round of applause.
Today, it is time to sum up your UIC experience. I hope that each and every UIC graduate will take away three core competencies: the first is being bilingual, multicultural, and global citizens—with the ability to listen, to reason, and connect with people from different cultures and countries.
The second is the ability to be creative. Here at UIC, we encourage cross-disciplinary learning and thinking, knowing how to look at problems from different perspectives. China wants to become a nation of innovation. Your country is counting on you to be creative contributors to reach its national dream. Thinking creatively should be your life-long habit.
The third competency is actually a matter of attitude, a sense of social responsibility. The Greater Bay Area is one place in the world that presents limitless opportunities for young people with the desire to achieve and serve their community. This is the perfect place for young people with dreams to chase and goals to realize.
Graduation is not the end of your education, but a new beginning to your life-long journey of self-learning and self-actualization.
The construction of Phase II of our campus is well underway. In a few years, you will see a bigger and better UIC, and by then, I hope to see a bigger and even better version of you. Remember our UIC slogan: grow with UIC, for growth is the very essence of life.
People often wonder why UIC has become such a success in such a short time. One reason is the quality of our graduates who are our living advertisements to the wider world. When you succeed, your success tells the world that UIC knows how to awaken the best part of you, and shows you how to chase your dreams.
As I see another crop of UIC graduates go out and embrace the opportunities in life, I know you will make us proud. And don't forget, for our part, we will always be here for you.
Goodbye and good luck!
