Published by: Xu Xiangying, Yu Ziyi Edited by: Media Convergence Center
WUST News (Correspondents Xu Xiangying and Yu Ziyi) - On the morning of September 29, the athletic field at the Huangjiahu Campus’s southern area, filled with the fragrance of osmanthus and adorned with fluttering red flags, hosted the 2025 undergraduate opening ceremony. A total of 6,679 undergraduate freshmen gathered to begin their university journey. All current university leaders, including WUST Party Committee Secretary Ni Hongwei and President Lv Yong, attended the ceremony. The event was presided over by WUST Deputy Party Committee Secretary Sun Guosheng.
During the ceremony, university leaders presented school badges to the representatives of the new students. All freshmen wore the badges, formally joining the WUST community and embracing its mission and honor.
President Lv Yong addressed the Class of 2025 with a speech titled "Cultivating a Calm Character, Advancing in the Journey of Youth". He noted that the over one-hundred-year history of the WUST is a vivid testament to the practice of a "calm" character. "Calmness" is not only a spiritual gene passed down through generations at the university and the foundational trait of WUST members in responding to the challenges of the times, but it is also an essential requirement for young students to develop solid skills and cultivate noble character. In the face of the anxiety brought about by the information flood of the "fast era", developing the steadiness and ability to "slow down" has become increasingly important.
Lv Yong shared four expectations for the new students: first, to anchor their souls with determination and integrate their ideals into the national rejuvenation; second, to accumulate knowledge with dedication, delving into professional knowledge with an attitude of bearing heavy responsibilities, mastering professional skills while staying curious; third, to break through challenges with stability, maintaining optimism and innovative thinking; fourth, to shoulder responsibilities with integrity, avoiding vanity and striving to become pioneering talents. He encouraged the freshmen to let "calmness" be their sail and "practical work" their oar, forging ahead bravely.
Professor Zhang Hua from the School of Metallurgy and Energy, representing the faculty, shared insights on growth with the new students, drawing from his over ten years of "steel stories" at the university. He advised freshmen to be “pursuers of light” with great virtue, “explorers of practical excellence” with cutting-edge thinking, and “resilient strivers” with healthy minds and deep professionalism.
Xia Zhouyang, a senior student representative from the Class of 2022, welcomed the newcomers and shared three university concepts: “rooting, exploring, and taking responsibility.” He encouraged freshmen to refine their character in WUST’s “steel furnace” and shine on its “fertile ground for innovation.”
Li Yizhe, a freshman representative from the Class of 2025, expressed gratitude to leaders, teachers, and instructors. On behalf of all freshmen, he pledged to uphold the school motto “Noble Virtue, Extensive Learning, Pragmatism, Earnestness,” develop professional skills, and contribute to the nation with youthful energy.
The ceremony concluded with all faculty and students singing a rousing chorus of “Ode to the Motherland,” offering birthday blessings to the nation with spirited melodies. Heads of functional departments and various schools (departments) also attended the event.
