Peking University, July 2, 2024: Peking University (PKU) held its Graduation Ceremony for Undergraduates, class of 2024, at the Khoo Teck Puat Sports Complex on the morning of July 2, 2024. The event was chaired by Wang Bo, vice president and provost of PKU, and attended by PKU Council Chair Hao Ping, President Gong Qihuang, as well as faculty, guests, alumni, and family members.

Photos: Warming up the ceremony, students from PKU Kindergarten, PKU Symphony Orchestra, PKU Choir, and PKU Student Dance Troupe delivered captivating performances. A recap video paying tribute to the class of 2024 was played shortly after, building up excitement and nostalgia.


Chen Baojian, vice council chair of PKU and council chair of PKU Health Science Center, announced 612 students as “Outstanding Graduates of Peking University” and 190 as “2024 Outstanding Graduates of Beijing's Higher Education Institutions”.


Graduate representative Feng Xuanrui from the School of Mathematical Sciences enumerated how the mathematical constant “π” had become an inspiration in his university life and also his personal motto. Feng recounted his experiences of studying mathematics, overcoming anxiety, and seeking a deep connection with his major while expressing his determination to continue his Ph.D. studies at PKU. 


In her speech, graduate representative Wang Ruitong from the School of Public Health shared her sincere thoughts on seeking constructive criticism, building confidence, and enhancing her sense of self. After five years at PKU, she looked forward to integrating the values of PKU medical professionals into practice on her journey to safeguard health. She also aimed to establish connections with a wider range of people, especially the vulnerable group, in the preventive medical field and dedicate herself to the public health industry. 


Teacher representative Prof. Cheng Sudong from the Department of Chinese Language and Literature deciphered the strength of "destinations," which he praised as new beginnings in life, driving us to exploration, questioning, and self-examination. He deemed that, "In this process, finding the right destination may be more important than arriving at the destination. The destination represents the place you once stayed, but only when you leave will you see the footprints you left behind and realize its value." He urged the graduates to understand the importance of knowing when to stop and reflect, citing classical wisdom from pre-Qin texts, and encouraged them to continuously seek new endpoints in life.


Alumni representative Yu Biao, who is an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the director of the State Key Laboratory of Bio-organic and Natural Products Chemistry at the Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, encouraged the graduates to apply the knowledge they gained from PKU, uphold the university's spirit and traditions, and pursue their dreams. Prof. Yu also shared with the audience how he had double-checked his speech texts relying on AI-driven language models and raised the issue of how AI could pose "unprecedented" challenges. "That's why (we should) utilize and develop AI and other future technologies to benefit mankind, rather than allowing them to undermine humanity," he concluded.

 
Wrapping up the ceremony, President Gong Qihuang congratulated and offered commencement advice to the graduates, who were about to start a new journey. He expressed his hopes for them to contribute to society and the historic mission of building a strong nation. He then officially awarded degrees while the graduates from each faculty chanted their school mottos with compassion and confidence.




As the graduation ceremony came to an end, the familiar melody of “Yan Yuan Qing” sounded with all graduates singing this heartfelt song. The hearts of the graduates were full of nostalgia as they waved goodbye to Yan Yuan and stepped into their new chapters of life.





This article is featured in PKU News' "Graduation 2024" series.

Jawad Shabbir contributed to the reporting.

Written by: Teo Si Min, Gao Chun, Wang Jia En, Kelly Ong
Edited by: Wang Jia En
Photos by: Wang Tiantian, Li Xianghua, Liu Yueling, Yan Linlin, Hu Xiaodong, Wang Ziqian, Zhu Chengxuan, Lu Zan, Li Yijie, Dong Bogang, Cai Xiangyu, Xu Yifeng, Cao Mengyao