NYU Shanghai holds commencement ceremony for undergrads

Nearly 300 members of New York University Shanghai's class of 2021 attended their undergraduate commencement ceremony on Tuesday.

Despite various challenges, the graduates have succeeded in finding their promising next steps, the school said.

According to NYU Shanghai, these students have earned placements in master's and PhD programs at world-renowned universities, including Harvard University, University of Oxford, Yale University, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Students joining the workforce have received offers from influential companies such as J.P. Morgan, Alipay and Microsoft.

Renowned Shanghai doctor Zhang Wenhong, who is leader of the Shanghai team of experts that treats novel coronavirus cases, said at the commencement ceremony that cooperation and sacrifice are still humanity's best weapons to overcome all kinds of difficulties.

"The spirit of cooperation and teamwork cultivated by NYU Shanghai will become the fundamental power for you to overcome all difficulties in the future," said Zhang, who is also director of the infectious diseases department at Shanghai's Huashan Hospital Affiliated with Fudan University.

"I believe that the future of humans depends on whether the young people of the world can finally come together."

Quoting American philosopher John Dewey, Chancellor Tong Shijun reminded students that their persistence throughout the pandemic has taught them to focus not on the tribulations of the moment, but instead on what is possible.

"In this world full of uncertainties, the best mentality is to see uncertainties as possibilities, to look for ideals in possibilities, and to work for our ideals, including our ideals of personal excellence and communal well-being, with creativity and perseverance," he said.

NYU Shanghai's graduates were also joined by 101 members of NYU's class of 2021 who are participating in NYU's "go local" plan.

NYU Shanghai said that it has hosted 2,200 Chinese undergraduates and 700 Chinese graduate students mainly from NYU New York studying at the Shanghai campus since the fall semester last year as individuals face travel restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.