On the morning of May 15, the 22nd Graduate Forum was held at Guanggu Concert Hall, organized by the university’s Party Committee Publicity Department, Party Committee Student Affairs Department, and Admissions and Employment Office, and hosted by the Student Journalist Corps. Ten groups of outstanding graduates from different schools shared their university experiences with the audience. University Party Committee Standing Committee Members and Vice Presidents Qin Rui and Ma Yutang attended the event, joined by leaders from relevant departments and schools, along with student representatives.
Gui Xing from the School of Literature, Journalism and Communication, who secured admission to Shanghai International Studies University, served as the forum’s host, engaging in heartfelt conversations with guests. Zeng Hao from the School of Fine Arts, admitted to Minzu University of China, shared his artistic philosophy developed through interdisciplinary studies. Gao Junjie from the School of Computer Science, who joined Kingsoft Office Software (Wuhan) Co., Ltd., revealed his job-hunting strategies. Qiu Jingxuan from the School of Marxism, who pursued graduate studies at Central China Normal University, reflected on her dedication and perseverance in chasing her dreams. Four male students from the “academic excellence dormitory” in the School of Chemistry and Materials Science shared amusing stories of mutual support and encouragement during exam preparation. Li Yu from the School of Resources and Environment, admitted to Tongji University, became emotional when discussing her laboratory experiences. Liu Zixia from the School of Physical Education, admitted to Hunan University, spoke enthusiastically about her involvement in student affairs and social practice. Wei Yingjie, a master’s student from the School of Ethnology and Sociology who joined the National Ethnic Affairs Commission, generously shared his civil service examination experience. These vivid stories of determination deeply moved the audience, who responded with continuous applause for these inspiring SCMU students.
“Opportunities favor the prepared mind,” shared Zhang Yuzhi from the School of Foreign Languages, who successfully gained admission to the University of Hong Kong’s graduate program. From her freshman year, she set her sights on studying abroad and steadily built her competitiveness through excellent core course grades, high IELTS scores, and multiple internship experiences. Regarding application strategies, she advised students to bridge information gaps and prepare strategically based on institutions’ admission requirements. For English improvement, she recommended daily language immersion and using exams as motivation to solidify foundations.
“Learning alone without friends leads to ignorance and limited knowledge.” Zhang Chunmao, Xiao Jiexin, and Hou Penghui from the School of Management exemplify this wisdom. The trio formed their study group after meeting through competitions in their sophomore year and maintained their “resource sharing, complementary strengths” philosophy even during pandemic-era online learning, consistently ranking in the top three. When recalling their most memorable undergraduate experience, they unanimously pointed to the computer design competition, from campus to national levels, competing alongside teams from prestigious 985 and 211 universities. Team leader Xiao Jiexin led project iterations, Zhang Chunmao tackled technical challenges through all-nighters, and Hou Penghui handled project presentations, ultimately breaking through with their mentor’s guidance. The three served as mutual role models, with Zhang’s initiative, Hou’s communication skills, and Xiao’s programming abilities complementing each other.
“Better to make mistakes than do nothing at all.” encouraged Ma Fupeng, a graduate student from the School of Electronic and Information Engineering who joined State Grid. When tackling circuit board challenges for his thesis, he faced three complete failures but was reborn through his mentor’s strict requirement to “be accountable for every data point” and encouragement to “boldly attempt and actively explore”. When discussing his choice to work in Aba Prefecture, Sichuan, he became emotional, “My hometown’s clean energy development needs technical experts to take root. I have the responsibility and obligation to do everything I can to promote the implementation of new power systems.”
Interview scene. Photocourtesy ofParty Committee Publicity Department
During the forum, university radio station students presented a creative graduation season voice-over program. In the Q&A session, all ten guest groups took the stage to interact with students, providing detailed answers to questions and sharing personal experiences and insights in a lively atmosphere.
“Dare to dream and act, progressing together through communication and growing together through cooperation－this is my biggest takeaway from learning about our seniors’ experiences!" said Wu Yuling, a 2023 freshman from the School of Literature, Journalism and Communication, attending her first forum. Li Xinyi, a 2022 student from the School of Marxism, felt the forum was innovative in both content and format. She noted, “The heartfelt sharing and advice from our seniors have given us clearer direction for our future academic and personal lives.”
Forum group photo. Photo courtesy of Party Committee Publicity Department
The university’s Graduate Forum began in 2003 as a character interview program serving all students, reaching deep into schools and faculty-student relationships to discover SCMU graduates with compelling stories. As one of the university’s signature “comprehensive education” brand activities, the Graduate Forum has continued for 22 years, selecting representative outstanding graduates through school nominations and personal willingness to guide successive generations of SCMU students in their university journey.
