On 24th of October, the graduation ceremony cum the degree conferment ceremony of EMBA Class of 2020 at Shanghai University of Finance and Economics was held at 1933 Conference Center. The vice principal of Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, Professor Xinyuan Chen; the vice dean of graduate school of Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, Professor Jinsong Li; COB Associate Executive Dean, Professor Hang Wei; representatives of MBA mentors, Professor Xiaoqing Ji, Professor Ruochen Jiang, Professor Qi Sun, Professor Ruyong Tan, Professor Dan Wang, Professor Shaofei Wang, Professor Wenbin Wang, Professor Xuehua Wang, Professor Fang Wu, Professor Mingyue Xia, Professor Lei Xie, Professor Shujun Xu, Professor Chunxuan Zheng; and all the graduates with their families attended the ceremony. Chair of COB Council at Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, Liping Xue, hosted the ceremony.

2020 is bound to be an extraordinary year. The sudden Covid-19 crisis broke our quiet life and affected the graduation ceremony which was supposed to be held in June. Although the students had left school for several months, but the ritualism of plucking ear and awarding the certificate on the scene is indispensable after several years’ study at Shanghai University of Finance and Economics. Thanks to the successful hindrance of covid-19 by our country, after prudent judgment, the school overcame a lot of difficulty to hold this graduation ceremony for 2020 graduates. 500 students came with their family to witness this glorious moment together. The ceremony started in solemn national anthem.

At the start of the ceremony, vice principal Xinyuan Chen made a speech to the present graduates, congratulating everyone sincerely and gave expectation of the future development of graduates at the same time. Principal Chen encouraged graduates to focus on their own development. The more changeable the outside environment, the more we need to concentrate on improving our own abilities. Principal Chen quoted what famous general Guofan Zeng said when leading Hunan Army, “When reaching a city, survey the terrain first, find the place for encampment, dig ditches and plant hedges. Because with a solid camp, we can either attack or defend and it would be impossible to fail”. The principal can learn to fight a rigorous battle and build a solid camp so that they would not fail. Be brave to shoulder social responsibilities, have insights for home and country in future development, think what the country, do what the country needs and become a man who is responsible for his country and society, has his purpose and respect.

 Students would not graduate successfully without the cultivation by mentors. Student representative of MBA class gave his speech about that students had always wanted to tell their mentors and presented flowers to the 13 mentors present.

Then Professor Shaofei Wang gave students a speech as representative mentor. He encouraged students to avoid measuring the value of their life merely by professional gain and learn to measure their life achievements from a personal growth and life value perspective. He concluded by quoting Roman Roland, “There is only one form of heroism on the world, which is continuing to love life even after you have found what it’s truly like.” He hoped that every student can have no fear of future challenges, overcome the mediocrity and challenges and become a hero who exceeds himself and protects others. 

Then, the ceremony went into the stage of awarding excellent thesis of 2020 MBA class. The thesis written by Weiwei Cai, Caisheng Chen, Wei Hu, Ling Jin, Jiaying Ni, Fei Pan, Jie Shen, Jingli Wang, Jing Zhong and Yajie Zong are excellent in all the aspects as topic selection, application, professionality, feasibility and normality and stood out from the crowd after several rounds of review and become the excellent thesis of MBA class of 2020. COB Associate Executive Dean Professor Hang Wei awarded the awardees.

Following is the expected degree conferment ceremony. Vice dean of graduate school of Shanghai University of Finance and Economics Professor Jinsong Li red the decision of degree conferment of class of 2020. The vice principal of Shanghai University of Finance and Economics Professor Xinyuan Chen, the vice dean of graduate school of Shanghai University of Finance and Economics Professor Jinsong Li, COB Associate Executive Dean Professor Hang Wei, representatives of MBA mentors Professor Xiaoqing Ji, Professor Ruochen Jiang, Professor Qi Sun, Professor Ruyong Tan, Professor Dan Wang, Professor Shaofei Wang, Professor Wenbin Wang, Professor Xuehua Wang, Professor Fang Wu, Professor Mingyue Xia, Professor Lei Xie, Professor Shujun Xu, Professor Chunxuan Zheng awarded certificates and plucked the ear for graduates and took photos for memorization. 

After the awarding ceremony, Wei Hu who got the MBA excellent thesis award gave a speech as representative graduate. Looking back on his studying for MBA , despite acquiring knowledge, he concluded the gains during the study with self-aware, self-reflect and honesty. Studying MBA at Shanghai University of Finance and Economics is an arduous but happy period of time. In the end he wished his Alma Mater great students in the future, his teachers youth forever, and everyone the realization of his dream and achievements.

At the end of the ceremony, class of 2020 also prepared for a chorus of the school anthem “building the glory together” for their Alma Mater. Four-voice-part chorus, clapping rhythms and shouting “ Shanghai University of Finance and Economics for a century, commerce studies for a century” together in the end made the school anthem more moving, and this is the most beautiful present from graduates for their Alma Mater and teachers.

In the end, the school creatively designed an Egg to play the surprise video recorded by their families. To balance work and study during their time at university, students need not only their own efforts but also understanding and support from their families. Getting an MBA degree is more of a family achievement than an individual achievement. With the warmth from family, we believe that students can press forward with indomitable will professionally and make greater contribution to the economic and social development of our country.

 At the end of the day, the graduation ceremony ended successfully in passionate applause. We are really looking forward to the MBA（EMBA）class of 2020 to hold on to the motto “eruditely learnt, heal the world with economics”, continue to devote themselves to the boom of commercial culture and hope they care about and support the development of Alma Mater as always and come to visit us frequently!