GRADUATION
In the golden autumn of October, the 38 students of Cohort 21 of the Fudan-Washington University EMBA Program reaped the rewards of their studies after completing 18 months of coursework. Recently, they traveled to the United States for their final mobile classroom module and attended their long-awaited commencement ceremony at Olin Business School, Washington University in St. Louis.
For Cohort 21, this learning journey required balancing an uncertain external environment with academic pressures. Even so, the class remained passionate about their studies. Their learning culture marked by resilience, inclusiveness and win-win collaboration has been widely praised. As graduation music echoed through Graham Chapel at Washington University, the Fudan-Washington University EMBA journey for Cohort 21 drew to a fulfilling close, ushering them into a new chapter of life.
At the commencement ceremony, Dean Mike Mazzeo of Olin Business School, Washington University in St. Louis, delivered an address. He quoted the renowned American writer and orator Dale Carnegie: “People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing.” With this quote, he encouraged graduates that when confronting any challenges in their future careers, they should always stay passionate, find joy amid challenges, and inspire others with this positive mindset.
American writer and lecturer Dale Carnegie once said,“People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing.” I encourage you to find joy in confronting whatever challenges come your way. Have fun in your work and share this philosophy with others. This outlook, combined with your time at WashU and Fudan, will set you on a path to solve problems better and positively impact the world around you.
Professor Feng Tianjun, Assistant Dean of Fudan University School of Management, attended the commencement ceremony and delivered a message to the graduates. He stated that even as this learning journey draws to a close, he hopes everyone will continue to stay curious about the world, maintain innovative and critical thinking, pursue innovation for good, and strive to benefit humanity and society.
I hope you can remain curious about the world while exercising sound judgment. I encourage you to keep innovating and thinking critically. Most importantly, the actions you take should serve a bigger purpose of benefiting society and humanity.
Graduate Benjamin Bruni delivered the valedictory address on behalf of all classmates in the graduating cohort. He reflected on his original motivation for joining the Fudan-Washington University EMBA Program and shared his personal growth, striking a strong chord with the other graduates present. This learning journey taught him resilience, social responsibility and innovative thinking from a global perspective. Such academic knowledge and shared business insights have become the bond connecting all classmates. Though coming from diverse industries and regions, they embraced one another and marched toward shared goals through continuous collaboration and mutual progress.
Washington University teaches us the importance of integrity, diversity, excellence, and collaboration. These values have encouraged us to lead with honesty, embrace different perspectives, and strive for the highest standards in all we do. Fudan University emphasizes perseverance, social responsibility, global thinking, and innovation. It has shown us the value of resilience in the face of challenges and the need to contribute to society meaningfully while fostering an international mindset.
Prior to the commencement ceremony in the United States, Cohort 21 traveled to the Brookings Institution, a leading think tank, to complete their overseas module. They held in-depth discussions with thirteen scholars across politics, economics, environmental studies and other fields. The Brookings Institution’s sessions covered topics including new energy, environmental issues, China-U.S. relations and more. Drawing from diverse perspectives, the scholars built an academic platform for participants to pool ideas collectively.
The successful conclusion of this graduation trip to the United States does not mark the end of your learning journey. The transition from student to alumni status means participants will continue to enjoy lifelong learning opportunities offered by the program. In the newly released global EMBA ranking by the Financial Times (FT), the Fudan-Washington University EMBA Program ranks 3rd globally, with its graduates achieving the world’s top salary level. The program’s lifelong learning offerings allow alumni to enroll in its courses even after graduation. Alumni can not only keep benefiting from up-to-date business school curricula, but also strengthen connections with fellow alumni from multinational corporations across industries and continuously broaden their global perspective.
At this crossroads of time, Cohort 21 is about to turn a new page in life. May you embrace every challenge bravely with perseverance and conviction. May you continuously surpass yourselves through persistence and embrace the boundless world. May you always retain an inquisitive mind and hunger for knowledge amid the surging tides of the era. May your dreams bloom brilliantly amid endless possibilities!