The University of Notre Dame’s Beijing Global Gateway (BGG) hosted a special graduation ceremony to honor five students who were unable to attend Notre Dame’s commencement ceremony in May due to the global pandemic. The event was hosted on Sunday, July 18 at the BGG and was also available as a live stream.
“We were pleased to host a graduation celebration for the five Notre Dame undergraduates and their families,” says Jingyu Wang, executive director of the BGG. “The pandemic has strengthened the bond between colleagues, faculty and students, and family members."
The BGG, along with University partners and alumni in China, created the special event to ensure that every student from China was recognized for their accomplishments at the University.
“Unable to graduate with my architecture friends on campus, I originally felt very unfortunate because I am missing out on an important ending ceremony for my college life,” says Yiman Wang, recent Notre Dame graduate. “Nonetheless, the special graduation ceremony was an incredible opportunity for me to connect with my friends graduating together with me and on campus. I will carry on the love, knowledge, and thanks after graduation as well.”
The ceremony, co-sponsored by the Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies, East Asian Languages and Cultures, International Student and Scholar Affairs, and Multicultural Student Programs and Services, included recorded messages from University leaders and faculty, highlights from commencement on campus, as well as speeches from the graduating seniors. The event concluded with the degree conferral, followed by a final blessing with all graduates and their families.
“Each and every student from China is an invaluable contributor to the University of Notre Dame's academic community,” adds Jonathan Noble, senior assistant provost for Internationalization at Notre Dame International. “The families of the graduates entrusted their children to Notre Dame, and celebrating the momentous occasion with the graduates' families in Beijing represents a commitment to a shared community characterized by mutual care, understanding, and hope.”
The ceremony was followed by a special lunch for students, families, and commencement speakers.
The Graduates
Ursula (Jingjing) Yu
Political Science and Economics
Nanjing, China
Tianze Zheng
Computer Science & ACMS
Beijing, China
Yixuan Mao
Sociology, Economic
Lanzhou, China
Yuanmeng He
Philosophy
Guangzhou, China
Yiman Wang
Architecture
Shenzhen, China
Originally published by at beijing.nd.edu on July 23, 2021.