Dear students,

If I could have one wish come true right now, this is it: I would be together with you to celebrate your graduation from Prospect College.  But today I am celebrating with you together alone by myself.  First, I want to congratulate you.  Covid 19 forced you to face a great challenge – to suddenly finish your studies away from your college, your teachers, your counselor, and your classmates.  You had no choice but were forced to quickly learn a completely new way of going to class, and a completely new way to study.  You were stuck at home, and you had to overcome conditions that made study and learning difficult.  You had to stay mentally strong to face all these academic challenges, and at the same time meet other challenges that only you know about.  You were the first students who had to do this, and you stayed strong.  You overcame all these challenges.  You were successful under terrible circumstances.  

Have you realized what your success means?  Nobody else has ever done this before.  You are pioneers.  You have shown the world that you can overcome any obstacle in your path.   But most importantly, you have shown yourself that you can overcome any obstacle in your path.  You have shown the world that you have the ability, the determination, the discipline, and the intelligence to succeed, no matter what life puts in front of you.  You have made history!  You are history!  

Much of your success originates from who you are as a person.  You have always had intelligence and ability.  In September 2016, we chose you to be a Prospect College student because we believed you had intelligence and ability.  During the four years you have been students at Yuanjing, your teachers and counselor taught you new ways to think, the ability to analyze situations and problems, to find logical solutions, as well as teaching you to take initiative, and to be a leader.  During these four years you were continually tested with new challenges in the classroom and outside of it.  Some of these challenges were academic and some of them were not.  We hope that you found new interests or hobbies that you will enjoy the rest of your life.  Or, maybe you gained the confidence to overcome a lifelong fear and discovered new abilities.  During your time at Prospect College, you developed and added to the skills and learning that helped you overcome this final and incredibly difficult challenge of studying during covid 19.  

Since the world changes fast, we know it will always be necessary to keep our knowledge and skills up to date.  Prospect College’s greatest lesson was to teach you to be a lifelong learner.  Successful people are lifelong learners.  Your lifelong learning skills have already been put to the test.  Life will never return to how it was in August 2016 when you arrived at Yuanjing.  Do not be frustrated by this.  Realize instead, you’ve already proven to everyone that you can meet life’s challenges.  Realize instead, you’ve already proven to yourself that you can meet life’s challenges.  We believe in you.  We know you can do it.  And always remember, if you meet a particularly big challenge, you can always turn to Yuanjing’s teachers and fudaoyuan for encouragement and support. You will always be part of the large Yuanjing Xueyuan family for the rest of your life. We will always welcome you to return, and we look forward to hearing about all your adventures and successes!  

Lastly, please know that your graduation is especially significant to me.  You’ve probably forgotten, but we came to Yuanjing at the same time, in August 2016.  You will always be my class of students, and you will always be special to me.  Congratulations on your graduation, and I wish you all the best!  

亲爱的同学们：

此时此刻，如果我有一个梦想能够成真，那就是：回到远景学院与你们一同庆祝毕业。然而今天，我只能以这样的方式和你们共祝或我只有自己一个人在这边庆祝。 新冠疫情使你们不得不面对一个巨大的挑战---你们需要在不能回到学校，在没有老师，辅导员，同学陪伴的情况下完成学业。你们别无选择，只有迅速学习用一种全新的方式去修课，去学习。 你们需要待在家中，并同时克服那些使得学习变得艰难的条件。你需要保持一颗强大的内心来自学业的种种挑战以及只有你自己才知道的其它挑战。你们是有史以来第一批需要应对此种挑战的学生，你们表现得非常坚强。你们已然克服了所有这些挑战，在如此艰难的情形下你们做得非常成功。

你们知道你们的成功意味着什么吗？这是史无前例的。你们是先锋。你们已经向世界证明你们可以克服成长道路上的一切障碍。 最重要的是，你们已经向你们自己证明了你们可以克服成长道路上的一切障碍。你们已经向世界证明，无论未来的生活中需要面对什么，你们的能力，决心，自律，智慧必将带你们走向成功。你们已经创造了历史！你们已然成为历史！

你们所取得的成功很大程度上取决于你是一个怎样的人。你们拥有智慧和能力。2016年9月， 我们之所以选择你们加入远景学院，就是因为我们坚信你们拥有智慧和能力。在远景的四年里，你们的老师和辅导员教会了你们如何用新的方式去思考，去分析宏观形势和具体问题并找到富有逻辑的解决方案， 也教会了你们如何去采取主动做一名引领者。 在远景的四年里，你们不断在课堂内外接受这样的考验。你们接受过来自学业的挑战，也接受过来学业以外的其它挑战。我们希望你们已经从中获得了新的、能够使你获益终身的兴趣和爱好。或者，你已经获得了能够克服某种恐惧的信心并发现了其它新的能力。在远景的四年里，你们获得了在学习和你自身已有能力之外足以克服新冠肺炎这样巨大挑战的能力。

世界瞬息万变，我们都知道我们需要不断地更新我们的知识和技能。在远景你修过最好的课程就是那些教会你如何成为一个终身学习者的课程。成功人士无一不是一位终身学习者。你们所获得的终身学习的技能已经付诸在接受实践检验。生活再也无法回到2016年8月你初入远景时的模样。无须因此而沮丧。相反，你们应当认识到你们已经向世人证明了你们能够应对生活的种种挑战。我们相信你们。我们知道你们一定能够做到。永远记住，未来无论你遇到怎样的挑战，远景的老师和辅导员们永远会带给你们鼓励和支持。往后余生，你们永远是远景学院大家庭中的一员。 我们随时欢迎你们回来，并期待聆听你们分享你们在后来人生中的每一次尝试和取得的成功。

最后，我想对你们说，你们的毕业对我来着有着非比寻常的意义。 或许你们已经忘记：2016年8月，我和你们一同来到了远景。 你们是我接任远景学院院长以后迎接的第一届学生，你们将永远在我心底最深处。 祝贺你们顺利毕业，祝大家一切都好！