On September 25th, SWUFE-UD Institute of Data Science at SWUFE successfully held the Welcome Ceremony for Class of 2021 in Room 105 of the Hong Yuan Building. LI Yongqiang, Vice President of SWUFE attended the ceremony, along with the department heads from the Office of Undergraduate Academic Affairs, the Office of International Exchange and Cooperation, and Members in SWUFE of Joint Management Board of SWUFE-UD Institute of Data Science. Charlie Riordan, Vice President of Research, Scholarship, and Innovation of UD and Members in UD of Joint Management Board attended the ceremony via live video. The ceremony was hosted by two freshmen from SWUFE-UD Institute of Data Science and invited parents to participate via online live broadcast.

Prof. LI Yongqiang, Vice President of SWUFE represented university faculty and students extended a warm welcome to the freshmen of the SWUFE-UD Institute of Data Science. Prof.Li encouraged students to “set sail” for future university life by expressing his three wishes. Firstly, students should grasp the trend of development of the times and take the "navigation chart". Secondly, students should cultivate a global consciousness and the "telescope" for communication. Last but not least, he hoped that students should prepare an excellent "ballast" for life with patriotism and kind-heartedness. Prof.Li is looking forward to witnessing the graduates blazing new trails in life through the acquisition attained in SWUFE.

Professor Charlie Riordan, Vice President of Research, Scholarship, and Innovation of UD, shared the history of innovation at the University of Delaware characterized by "global education" with all the students and inspired them to study hard and use their unique and innovative thinking to improve the world.

Prof.Yang Shilei, Dean of SWUFE-UD Institute of Data Science at SWUFE, began his speech by welcoming 173 new students from 18 provinces and cities to join the big family of SWUFE and the sweet family of SWUFE-UD Institute of Data Science. Prof. Yang provided three suggestions to the students on "how to perceive undergraduate programs", "how to make a good life plan in university" and "how to understand diversity". He hoped that students should firstly strengthen their learning methods, while students should allocate time and energy in the appropriate direction. He expressed the importance of acquiring the diversified knowledge system needed by the construction of the "new era" as well.

Prof.Rick Andrews, Foreign Associate Dean of SWUFE-UD Institute of Data Science, Prof.Bruce Weber, Dean of Lerner College at UD, Prof.Jennifer Gregan, Senior Assistant Dean of Lerner College at UD all sent congratulations to the students during speeches.

At the ceremony, the representatives of students from the Class of 2020 and 2021 made the statements respectively. Students from Class of 2020 and 2021 performed the folk music “Horse Racing” and the poetry recitation“Nice to Meet You”, which expressed the vow to march into the future, and pursue dreams.

With the unison of "Anthem of Southwestern University of Finance and Economics", the Welcome Ceremony for Class of 2021 ended successfully.

Editor: Yaqi LOU

Proofreading: Xiaona LIU