Connect Theory with Practice & Create Lifetime Happiness — 2021 MBA Graduation Ceremony and Academic Degree Awarding Ceremony of ACEM SJTU

2021 Master of Business Administration (MBA) Graduation Ceremony and Academic Degree Awarding Ceremony of Antai College of Economics and Management (ACEM), Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) was held in Wenzhi Hall, Xuhui Campus of SJTU on the afternoon of July 11, 2021. The graduation ceremony also arranged a venue in Singapore and was broadcasted live in both Chinese and English around the world, presenting an unforgettable graduation ceremony for students abroad. More than 600 MBA graduates, including 46 graduates from Shenzhen class, attended the ceremony on site.

The graduation ceremony was presided over by Liu Shaoxuan, Associate Dean of Antai College of Economics and Management (ACEM). Mao Junfa, member of the CPC Standing Committee and Vice President of SJTU and Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wang Yaguang, Dean of Graduate School, SJTU, Chen Fangruo, Dean of ACEM, Jiang Wenning, Party Secretary of ACEM, Wu Wenfeng, Associate Dean of ACEM, Yu Leng, Deputy Party Secretary and Secretary of the Commission for Discipline Inspection of ACEM, Zhang Donghong, Deputy Party Secretary of ACEM, Dong Zhengying, Director of MBA program, Zhou Ying, Director of EMBA program, Luo Jun, Director of CLGO program, and other leaders attended the ceremony. Also, faculty representatives of ACEM and outstanding MBA thesis supervisors, including Professors Chen Dezhi, Gu Mengdi, Hu Daiping and Xie Fuji, were also invited to attend the ceremony.

In the impassioned national anthem, the graduation ceremony officially began. Mao Junfa, member of the CPC Standing Committee and Vice President of SJTU firstly addressed all MBA graduates on behalf of Shanghai Jiao Tong University. President Mao said, "2021 also marks the centenary of the founding of the CPC. As a SJTU people, we should bear in mind General Secretary Xi's message to our young people: To ordain conscience for Heaven and Earth. To secure life and fortune for the people. To continue learnings from past sages. To establish peace for all future generations. In the new journey of China for the next hundred years, we will forge ahead and undertake the responsibilities of SJTU people. Meanwhile, President Mao put forward three expectations for the graduates. The first is to cultivate personal morality and virtue. He hoped that SJTU students will pay attention to personal cultivation with a lofty sense of responsibility for social development, benefiting ourselves and others, and help others succeed while seeking our own success. The second is to translate theoretical knowledge into practical results, realize the belief of seeking true knowledge and pragmatism, and cultivate talents who can connect academic knowledge and practice. We should never lose the heart of upward progress, as only self-improvement can form the upright personality and achieve a life without regret. The third is to strive hard and take on our mission. We should apply what we have learned to the fields and tasks that contribute to the motherland, society and the people, stay focused and take solid actions, and overcome difficulties to achieve stable and far-reaching development. We should forge ahead and achieve our mission for a fulfilling life.

Wang Yaguang, Dean of Graduate School, SJTU, made three wishes to the graduates. Firstly, he wished that everyone would have the courage to call for a new day, dare to be the pioneer and strive for the first place bravely. He hoped that everyone would maintain the innovative spirit of SJTU to actively conform to the tide of technological development and become the leaders in various fields. Secondly, he hoped that everyone would insist on the hardworking spirit of SJTU and open a new dimension in the changing landscape with their own will and strive. Thirdly, he hoped that everyone would have the commitment of "whatever my status, I will never lay aside my concern for the nation", stick to the original aspirations and be determined to serve the country. He wished everyone maintain the sense of patriotism as a SJTU people and contribute their strength to the future of the motherland.

Later, Chen Fangruo, Dean of ACEM congratulated all the graduates on behalf of the College and made an important speech by highlighting following messages. To begin with, connecting theory with practice: knowledge means that we should constantly absorb new knowledge and enrich our subjective world; practice, means all behaviors, actions and practices in trying to change the world; connecting refers to the connection of the objective and subjective worlds, and the scientific spirit is the key to realize such a connection. Next, creating lifetime happiness. The key to achieving this is: 1. lifelong learning; 2. development of good habits, including keeping physical health; and 3. a heart of gratitude. In closing, Dean Chen wished all graduates a happy life and everyone would keep in mind the motto of “when you drink water, never shall you forget its source; love your motherland and bring honor to your alma mater” in the days to come; and at the same time, he suggested looking high and far to clearly define the correct orientation on the road to strive. He hoped that everyone could go far with constant and concrete efforts and adhere to the principle of connecting theory with practice to jointly build a healthy, diversified and multi-dimensional ecosystem for industry research. Meanwhile, he called for lifelong learning and continuous accumulation and improvement to gain more energy.

Ms. Zhou Ying, the representative of the MBA faculties, shared her observation themed by "Lying Flat and Winning Effortlessly" with a short video of her and class 2018 students. She encouraged students to become winners in life instead of involution and lying flat through four "substitutes": substitute "fixed mindset" with "growth mindset"; substitute "inventory mindset" with "flow mindset"; substitute "fragmented learning" with "lifelong learning"; substitute the "ordinary people's social circle" with "high-value social circle". Ms. Zhou Ying concluded her speech by saying to all graduates that they can lie flat for a while when they are tired, but not all the time.

Ms. Feng Yan, ACEM class 1996 undergraduate and ACEM MBA 2005 alumna, Senior Vice President of Ctrip Group, shared her valuable experience with younger students as the representative of outstanding alumni. She mentioned that this year is the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CPC, as well as the first year of the 14th Five-Year Plan and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035, and also the turning year after the outbreak of Covid-19. How to meet changes and seize opportunities is a question for all graduates to think about. In addition, Feng Yan shared three takeaways since her graduation: we should maintain lifelong learning; hold on to our dreams and embrace changes; learn to take insight into the industry and seize opportunities, regardless of the industry we engage in.

Wonderful speeches and shared experiences were followed by the academic degree awarding ceremony for graduates. In the presence of the leaders and classmates, the graduates went up to the stage in turn. They solemnly received their certificate and turned the tassel, implying their success in learning and being ready for another journey.

Mr. Glenn Budhi Santoso, the representative of IMBA graduates from Indonesia, shared his story with ACEM students and encouraged his classmates with the words of Mr. Sokano: "tell your ambition as high as the skies.  Dream it as high as the skies. Because if you fall, you're going to fall among the stars.” Ms. He Mengxi from class 1893 said that the biggest value of her 2.5-year study in ACEM was that it broadened her cognitive boundaries and gave her the courage to take an adventure following the logical deduction, and also brought her companions who she could laugh and cry with. Mr. Meng Xiaodong from Shenzhen class 189B recalled his study in ACEM. He said that he learned the wisdom of coordination and unity in ACEM and made up for the shortcomings in his own company's operation through what he learned. "When we drink water, never shall we forget its source; when we achieve success, never shall we forget our teachers," he sincerely thanked all the teachers of ACEM for their training and education.

How time flies and years as songs. Since its operation in 1994, ACEM MBA has trained tens of thousands of students to carry forward the past and open up the future. Although our alumni are far apart, they still care about their alma mater. In the early stage of this graduation ceremony, the screens at Shanghai Bund, World Expo Valley, more than 3,000 Shanghai Dazhong taxis in the city and the guest halls of major airports across the country were lit up one after another to send graduation greetings to the 2021 ACEM MBA graduates of SJTU.

ACEM MBA Huizhi Development Fund is established by SJTU to further promote the in-depth integration of industries, academic studies and research, deepen international exchanges and cooperation, strengthen faculty development, build brand activities and alumni platforms to devote themselves to social development and public welfare undertakings. The inaugural ceremony of ACEM MBA Huizhi Development Fund is held on this special day of the graduation ceremony. Vice President Mao Junfa, Dean Chen Fangruo, Party Secretary Jiang Wenning, Associate Dean Liu Shaoxuan and Prof. Dong Zhengying came to the stage together to witness this historic moment with all 2021 ACEM MBA graduates.

During the over two years of study, many students with excellent character and academic performance have emerged in each class. Today, their outstanding performance was also commended at the ceremony, including Outstanding Graduate of Shanghai Municipality, Outstanding Graduate of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Outstanding On-campus Student Leader of MBA Students Union, Outstanding Student Leader of Class, Outstanding Students of each class, Outstanding Thesis winners and supervisors, and the First Prize of Scholarship for students.

Mr. Ren Liang, chairman of the new MBA Student Union from class 209A took over the Book of Honor, which symbolizes the honor and mission of ACEM MBA people, from Mr. Zhang Bing, the retired chairman from class 1899, and then all the 2021 graduates stood up together, clenched their hands and took a sacred and solemn oath led by the monitor of each graduating class, which showed their farewell to the alma mater and classmates and carried their aspirations to set sail again. The singing of class song by the representatives of each class seemed to bring all the students back to their study life. The same class slogan and the same class song have been sung for two and a half years, and are also destined to be the memories of everyone for a lifetime.

The graduation ceremony reached its climax with The Sincere Hero, a song that can never be tired of singing. Everyone stood up, waved their arms and sang the song together, which was really moving and touching. The 2021 MBA Graduation Ceremony and Academic Degree Awarding Ceremony of ACEM SJTU ended successfully with the motto of “when you drink water, never shall you forget its source; love your motherland and bring honor to your alma mater”. May all graduates keep their original aspiration and mission firmly in mind in the following 100-year endeavor, uphold the spirit and vigor of SJTU people, strengthen their faith, and forge ahead to become a new generation of young people who make unremitting efforts for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation!