We’re all in this together for a bright future! Youth is a chapter of time and a picturesque memory! On the morning of June 21st, the Graduation and Conferment Ceremony of Chongqing Jiaotong University in 2023 was held in the Central Sports Ground of Nan’an Campus. All leaders of the university, members of the University Degree Evaluation Committee, the principals of the affiliated facilities of the university, the responsible persons in charge of student work of all schools, the representatives of teachers, representatives of alumni, counselors of the graduating class of 2023, graduates, and representatives of the relatives of the graduates gathered together in the rain to witness this joyous and unforgettable moment.

Alumni representatives also returned to their alma mater to cheer for the graduating students and wish them to spread their wings and soar at the new starting line of youth! They are: Xiao Wen, Class 90 alumni of Road Engineering, Vice President and secretary general of Shenzhen Alumni Association; Huangfu Quanxian, Class 95 alumni of Port and Shipping Management, director of the Alumni Association, Chairman of Chongqing Jiaotong Construction Engineering Survey and Design Company; Chen Fengmin, Class 97 alumni of Bridge Engineering, Top 10 Bridge Characters of China, President of Bridge Institute of China Railway Changjiang Transport Design Group Co., Ltd.; Ning Junming, Class 90 alumni of Road Engineering, Expert in Chongqing Survey and Design Industry, President of CMCU Engineering Co., Ltd.; Fu Kewei, Class 2000 alumni of Marketing, original singer, General Manager of Foshan Lighting Southwest Engineering Project; Liao Weiwei, Class 2002 alumni of Road Engineering, Tianjin Model Worker, General Manager of East China Region of Chian Communications Construction Company-Third Highway Engineering Bureau Co., Ltd.; Zhong Wendi, Class 2005 alumni of Construction Cost, Chongqing advanced individual in poverty alleviation, first-class manager of Chongqing branch of China Development Bank; Chen Zengshun, Class 2007 alumni of Bridge Engineering, winner of the May 4th Youth Medal of Chongqing, Professor of School of Civil Engineering of Chongqing University; Zhang Cheng, Class 10 alumni of Bridge Engineering, winner of the May 4th Youth Medal of Guangdong Province, Chairman and Chief Engineer of Shenzhen Maoqiao Design Group Co., Ltd.; and Peng Zihao, Class 2012 alumni of Inspection, winner of the National May 1st Labor Medal and deputy manager of Test Department of Zhejiang Lizhongheng Engineering Testing Co., Ltd..

Huang Chengfeng, vice president of Chongqing Jiaotong University, and Xiao Can, undergraduate of the College of Art Design in 2023, together presided the graduation ceremony.

After the solemn national anthem, Zheng Xuxu, vice chairman of the Academic Degree Evaluation Committee and deputy chairman of Chongqing Jiaotong University Board, read out the decision to award the degree to the graduates of the Year 2023.

Rain is a deep feeling and a sweet rain before you start your career! On the stage, leaders of the university and special guests awarded graduation and degree certificates to representatives of undergraduate, master graduates and doctoral graduates. Lai Yuanming, the president of Chongqing Jiaotong University, turned the tassel and conferred the degrees on the representatives of the graduates, and wished all graduates a prosperous future in spite of all the storms and difficulties!

At the ceremony, students and teachers expressed their heartfelt wishes to all graduates of the Year 2023 with warm applause! The rain did not dilute the joyous atmosphere of the celebration; on the contrary, it added a special romance and unforgettable memories to the whole ceremony. The graduates, dressed in their bachelor’s gown, stood erectly and confident in the rain; they were all smiles, and their eyes are shining with good expectations for the future.

At the conferral ceremony, students could not hide their joy and took photos to leave touching moments for their youth.

“Over the past four years, we have bathed together in the spirit of ‘Two Roads’ (indicating Sichuan - Tibet Road and Xinjiang - Tibet Road) and have been influenced by the motto of ‘Demonstrate good moral cultivation and contribute to the development of the transportation industry’, gazed at the bronze statues of Mao Yisheng and Qian Weichang on the campus, listened to the stories of the Red Tower and the Water Tower, remembered the unforgettable experience of reading with each other at night under the street lamps, and savoured the moments of steamed buns with roasted cabbage ...” Gui Yujie, a graduate on behalf of Class 2023 of Road and Bridge Engineering of College of Civil Engineering, expressed heartfelt words: we will have high aspirations, come down to earth, take the ideal as the sail, always embrace youth and passion with concern and love for life, realize our self-worth in practical work and struggle, and show the commitment and style of the students of Chongqing Jiaotong University who are down-to-earth and striving for advancement! May all graduates will take root in the soil and keep their hearts on the sunshine! May our alma mater is flourishing and brilliant forever!

Teachers enlighten the mind, and give lessons and solve doubts, and their teachings flow in the classroom and float in and out of the campus, and will always remain in the hearts of students. On the occasion of graduation, let’s listen to their blessings and expectations once again!

Prof. Wu Lizhou, Chongqing Talent - Innovation Leader, gave a speech: students, this trip may be a long way to go, no matter where you are, no matter where do you work. Good conduct before doing things! then start your career! We should cultivate the persistence and concentration of “choose one career and follow through all the rest of your life”, the excellence of” doing one’s job and refining one’s skills”, and the perseverance of “tempering one’s good characters with efforts”! We should be diligent and sturdy. Even if we are mediocre, we also should be our own hero!

Prof. Dong Lili, Master Teacher of National Ideological and Political Curriculum: Why do you need to hate about the fading of colorful flowers, thick and green trees in summer are not as pleasant to you. We are honored to accompany you in your life and witness your growth. We will keep watching over you, and support you in course of your efforts in achieving beauty of your pen to life and the visions of your heart! We hope that you will practice great things with a big pattern and a broad mind, so that you can walk more steadily and stand more firmly in your life!

Teacher Pang Hefeng, an Outstanding CPC Party Member of Chongqing’s education institution: I wish we had the years to look back, and I’d like to talk about the past with you this day. You are about to embark on a new journey in your life, may you cultivate a sense of family and country, bravely take on the historical mission, do excellent things, accomplish interesting souls, and show the responsibility of graduates of Chongqing Jiaotong University with practical actions!

Yang Xi, a counselor who is also a teacher and friend, gave a speech: I was fortunate enough to meet you four years ago. Now, four years later, you are about to embark on a new long journey of your life. Your QQ group will no longer flash all kinds of notices and exhortations, but our blessing and concern for you will always be there. There is a mighty road ahead, and everything can be expected! I wish you all the best in your future and happy graduation!

Aunt Liu Ling gave a speech: I am a dormitory administrator. At the moment when the students are about to start a new life journey, I will say a few more words: although I will not let you turn off the lights at night, however, it is necessaey to go to bed early as possible, thank you for your company and trust, and wish you a bright future and a smooth journey, and go back home as often as you can!

As one of 200,000 alumni of Chongqing Jiaotong University, Chen Fengmin, a representative of Class 97 alumni of Bridge Engineering and president of China Railway Changjiang Transport Design Group Co., Ltd., gave heartfelt words and sincere messages to the graduating students: Your youth has unlimited potential and vitality, and is the golden age of making achievements. I hope you will “keep learning, keep pace with the times, be brave in keeping up with the trend of the times, persist in your dreams, be driven by innovation, and write a new chapter in your life. Do not forget your initiative mind, remember your mission, and it’s better to be safe than sorry in country with strong transportation network”. I wish you march forward regardless of hardship and have a smooth and trouble-free journey to fulfill your wishes!

Representatives of the parents of the graduates sent their earnest blessings to the students who were about to bid farewell to the campus life and enter the society, and sincerely wished that they would continue to learn and keep pace with the times, dare to bear hardships and embrace responsibility with passion, and pursue their own ideals on the long road of life! I sincerely grateful to the school: I wish the beautiful Chongqing Jiaotong University maintains its youth and vitality, and cultivate more outstanding talents!

Lai Yuanming, academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chairman of the University Degree Evaluation Committee and President of Chongqing Jiaotong University, on behalf of Chongqing Jiaotong University, extended warm congratulations to all graduates of the year 2023! I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to the dedicated teachers and parents! Pay high tribute to alumni, guests and friends who care about and support the development of the school!

The past is still vivid and the youth is precious! President Lai Yuanming reviewed the tempering moments, touching moments and ups and downs in study life experienced by the graduates since they were in school. He hoped that the graduates would undertake the mission of the era and strive to cultivate the spirit of “asking for trouble”!

Lai Yuanming, president of Chongqing Jiaotong University, sent a message to the graduates: suffer from the pain of learning and struggling, and aspire to read every book in the world. I wish you would keep books in your backpacks and your life, words in places where you can’t measure your steps, take lifelong learning as a spiritual pursuit, an attitude, a way of life, be willing to be an elementary school student with a “zero” mentality, always maintain a “thirst for knowledge, tireless” attitude of learning, and persist in learning from your colleagues and the masses and practice, forging the pursuit of truth, excellence and breakthrough in the spirit of struggle to transcend yourselves. Undergo the pain of pursuing excellence to the fullest extent. Being able to endure hardships and being willing to endure hardships have always been the most eye-catching label of students from Chongqing Jiaotong University. The spirit of “Two Roads” (indicating the spirit of being not afraid of hardship and not afraid of death during constructing Sichuan - Tibet Road and Xinjiang - Tibet Road) has long been integrated into the blood of students from Chongqing Jiaotong University. I hope that you will get rid of the fickleness and vanity of the cyber world, and pursue excellence whether you are engaged in engineering, scientific research, education, or further study. You should study hard to gain knowledge, practice hard skills, make breakthroughs through innovation, and make simple things to the extreme and make the ordinary things to be great. Undergo the pain of endurance and always keep the enthusiasm for life. The real hardship is not only to “work hard and starve the body and skin”, but also to endure the pain of patience, restraint and self-discipline. I hope that no matter whether you are in prosperity or adversity, whether you meet with success or failure, you can keep calm and determined, and resist setbacks, and enjoy “happiness after long -term of suffering” in down to earth and self-cultivation! “No matter where you are, your alma mater will always be your strongest support and warmest harbor!”