When September comes, the special and intriguing fragrance in autumn permeates the air. The Xipu campus is livened up by the smiles and laughter of new arrivals. The School of Foreign Languages SWJTU extends the warmest welcome to its youthful newcomers. Its 2014-2015 opening ceremony was held in the No.2 Hall of the Library on the Xipu Campus at 14:15 on September 5.
The School leadership and teachers attending the ceremony included Professor Wang Weimin, Executive Vice Dean of the School, Professor Mo Guanghua, Director of the Department of German, Associate Professor Li Haizhen, Director of the Department of Japanese, Professor Chen Shuyu, Director of the Department of French, Associate Professor Wang Junqi, Director of the Department of International Chinese, Associate Professor Song Meihua, Director of the Department of Translation and Interpreting, Mr. Zheng Boren, Secretary of the Department of English, class tutors of each department, Miss Xu Wenshuo, Deputy Secretary of Youth League Committee of the School, as well as Miss Yuan YuJing, Miss Wang Hanyu and Miss Luo Yan Yi, teachers of Students Working Group. Professor Wang Weimin delivered a speech after the solemn procedure of singing the national anthem in unison.
Firstly Professor Wang Weimin, on behalf of the current leadership of the School, congratulated freshmen on their success in admissions. Professor Wang reassured students that although foreign languages are not as popular as some other faculties of SWJTU like rail transit, but quite promising. The School ranks next to Sichuan University in the ranking of schools of its kind in Sichuan Province in terms of academic courses, teaching faculty and postgraduate education programs. Moreover, it features national quality academic courses. Professor Wang said, “four-year studies does not necessarily make you excellent translators, but definitely could inspire you and light up your dreams for a more hopeful future.” Professor Wang pointed out, “the mission of universities is not to produce skilled craftsmen, but to cultivate self-reliant, innovative and open-minded youth. Thus you could live and work in wisdom and with grace. In your college life, you will unfold a new chapter of yours and keep bettering yourself. You shouldn’t be profit-oriented, but get involved in more activities and professional contests, communicate with others and engage yourselves more in social activities.”He also advised students to take more exercises for physical fitness. Finally, he publicized his e-mail address and promised to be open to questions and suggestions, offering to help students with any problems.
The seniors prepared a mysterious gift for freshmen---photos taken at their first sight of SWJTU. These photos recorded the beginning of their university life and filled them with surprises and happiness. Then Han Qinru, a freshman representative from the Department of Japanese, rolled out her plans and expectations in her speech. She said, "the following four years are expected to be accompanied by books, hopes and growth,” and “all of us should work together, grow together and smile together.”Shi Zhuxi, Chairman of Students’ Union of the School, offered valuable suggestions to freshmen. She hoped that freshmen could adapt themselves to their new life as soon as possible, refuse to blindly follow the herd, and learn to get along with others. Meanwhile, she also stressed the importance of making a list of our own dreams and achieving them.
In the end, the Youth Volunteers Association followed its tradition to offer “future mail”service for freshmen. Freshmen write to themselves a letter about their dreams and expectations, and one year later volunteers would return their own letters to them. These letters serve as a reminder of their original dreams and urge them to live up to their own expectations.
After the ceremony, students of each department communicated with their instructors, learning more about their specialties, the relevant development trends and prospective career. Best wishes are extended to these vigorous youth. May them start the pursuit of their dreams from SWJTU, sow the seeds of expectations and harvest the fruits of hard work.
