Friends, supporters, graduates, and families of NYU Shanghai gathered at the University’s Commencement Dinner on May 19 to celebrate the achievements and successes of the undergraduate Class of 2024.
NYU Shanghai Vice Chancellor Jeffrey Lehman
NYU Shanghai Vice Chancellor Jeffrey Lehman opened the evening with a welcome to over 100 guests, who included NYU President Linda Mills, Chair of the NYU Board of Trustees Evan Chesler, members of the NYU Board of Trustees Ding Jinsong and Feng Lun, members of the President’s Global Council, supporters and friends, graduates and their family members, and leadership from both NYU Shanghai and NYU in New York.
NYU Board of Trustees Evan Chesler
Chair of the NYU Board of Trustees Evan Chesler expressed his joy at seeing the growth of our graduates and how they will go out and impact society. He told the audience, “Our graduates embody resilience and determination, having navigated through uncertainties and obstacles along their academic journey. Yet, they emerge stronger, their characters enriched with compassion, integrity, and empathy. As they embark on their next journey across the globe, their unique perspectives, cultivated within our global and multicultural NYU Shanghai community, will illuminate the communities they touch.”
NYU President Linda Mills
The celebrations was followed by President Linda Mills’s address, where she welcomed guests, and shared stories about the personal connections she had with Shanghai — her roleas a founding member of NYU Shanghai and how the community has grown, how Shanghai was a safe haven for her relatives during World War II and her son, Ronnie’s growth in the city during his study away experience. All this reflects the dynamic city that NYU Shanghai is in and the role it plays. “This unique campus plays a critical role in our global environment — where we are the bridge for many cultures to come together and exchange ideas,” Mills said. This is President Mills’s first time attending NYU Shanghai Commencement dinner as the NYU President.
From the Left to the Right: Peirong Li, Yucheng Bao, Celia Forster, Beidi Pan, Cindy Li, Mia Trinh
Hosted by Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Dean of Students, David Pe, a student panel featured six graduates discussing their post-graduation plans, their NYU Shanghai experience and the support they received from the university in pursuing their passions.
Students on the Student Panel
Producer and Director of Gatsby Shanghai– the first student-led musical at NYU Shanghai, Cindy Li, who will be moving to New York City in the coming fall, spoke about her musical production and how it is a mix of different cultures, reflecting NYU Shanghai’s diversity and inclusion. “It is the four years that I experienced in NYU Shanghai and the way it embodies all the cultures that I have seen here, I put that all in the production,“ she said.
Beidi Pan, a graduate with a double major in Neural Science and Social Science (Anthropology), highlighted inclusion and diversity in his experience at NYU Shanghai, noting it extended beyond culture and into academics. He was encouraged to pursue his passions, even when they combined two distinct disciplines. “I am not just talking about inclusion and diversity in culture. NYU Shanghai has inclusion of different disciplines, especially for disciplinary research and study,” he said. Pan will be heading to the University of Chicago for a master's program in social science this fall.
Students on the Student Panel
Our other panelists, Peirong Li, Yucheng Bao, Celia Forster, and Mia Trinh, also shared their unique university experiences. They explained how the opportunities and experiences of the past four years have helped them discover their passions, which they believe will have a positive impact on society.
NYU Shanghai String Ensemble
The Dinner continued with a beautiful instrumental performance by a student and faculty octet.
Student Skit: Rosanna Zhou (Left) and Poom Siripakorn (Right)
It was followed by a skit from I-Got-One, a project initiated by the Chinese language faculty and international students who learn Chinese at NYU Shanghai. It showcases how international students relate Chinese characters to similar things they see in their cultures.
Mono-Ritual: Xiao Peng (Left) and Angy He (Right)
The final student showcase was an IMA audiovisual performance by graduates Xiao Peng and Angy He, called Mono-Ritual, which combines live music or sound with real-time visuals or animations to create an artistic display.
NYU Shanghai Chancellor Tong Shijun
Chancellor Tong Shijun concluded the evening by expressing gratitude to the guests who made the night possible. He reflected on how the support the university receives propels it to greater heights. “I thank all of our friends outside of the university for your support and your recognition. It is the best encouragement for us to work even harder to make the university better than before,” he said.
More Dinner Photos Below:
