On September 19th, Hainan Normal University held the 2024 Freshmen Opening Ceremony on its Longkun South and Guilinyang campuses. The university’s party and administrative leadership, including Xu Mei, Chen Xiangsong, Yang Zijiu, Wang Yu, Liu Rubing, Han Xiaoyu, Zhang Yin, Bai Xianliang, Wang Renbin, and Huang Yijun, attended the ceremony, along with military training instructors Zhang Jun, Li Liguo, Ma Zhen, Song Zhongxun, alumni representatives, department heads, college leaders, freshman counselors, 6,573 new students from the class of 2024, and military training officers. The ceremony was presided over by Bai Xianliang, a standing member of the Party Committee and Vice President of Hainan Normal University.
During the ceremony, faculty representatives Gong Yali from the School of Music and Zou Fei from the School of History and Culture delivered speeches, encouraging new students to embrace their growth, explore the unknown with youthful passion and courage, and continue pursuing their dreams with enthusiasm.
Liu Haiying, Secretary of the Party Committee at Hainan Middle School and an alumni of the university, expressed her heartfelt gratitude to her alma mater and shared her experiences from her years in secondary education to inspire the new students: to grow upwards with sincerity and warmth, to root deeply and weather storms, and to explore outwardly for a vibrant life. She wished the new students academic success and a bright future while also extending early congratulations to the university on its upcoming 75th anniversary.
Liu Zhaoyu, a graduate student from the School of Journalism and Communication, represented the older students and urged the new students to take on the responsibilities and missions of their generation, excel academically, and contribute to the construction of the Hainan Free Trade Port. Yao Wanru from the School of Life Sciences and Dong Jingyu from the School of Foreign Languages delivered speeches as freshmen representatives, calling on their peers to strive to be idealistic and responsible students of Hainan Normal University, all the while growing stronger and more accomplished.
President Chen Xiangsong personally placed school badges on the freshmen representatives and officially welcomed the entire class of 2024 into the university family. Following this, all the new students took an oath together.
Lieutenant Colonel Li Liguo of the Haikou Detachment of the Hainan Armed Police Force and Colonel Ma Zhen, Political Commissar of the Mobile Detachment of the Hainan Armed Police Force, addressed the students, encouraging them to use military training as an opportunity to ignite their patriotism, cultivate perseverance, and challenge, refine, and gain the courage to surpass themselves.
Xu Mei, Secretary of the Party Committee, extended a warm welcome to all the new students on behalf of the university. She praised the students for actively participating in post-typhoon campus recovery efforts and delivered the “First Lesson of the New Semester” on the theme of “Striving to Become Strong Youth for a Powerful Nation”. She emphasized that students should remain firm in their ideals and ambitions, aim high, and strive to be dedicated, patriotic youth; cultivate moral integrity and serve as role models; build solid knowledge and pursue innovation to become more capable youths; and increase their sense of mission, working hard to achieve greatness. Xu encouraged students to learn from faculty members such as Professor Shi Haitao, who is deeply engaged in scientific research; Professor Zhang Rui, a “National Model Teacher”; Zhang Ting, who is committed to marine ecological research; and Xue Jinxin, who has enlisted twice. She urged the students to fulfill their responsibilities in this era, excel in their studies, and gain direction, understanding, and wisdom to better their futures, using Hainan Normal University as a starting point for greater achievements.
Despite the periodic rain at the Guilinyang campus, the enthusiasm of the students and faculty were unaffected. Senior students delivered an impassioned shortspeech titled “Chasing Dreams with Youth, Taking Responsibility with Courage”, conveying their determination to pursue their dreams tirelessly. The original campus song “Youth Breeds Hope” and the flash mob performance “Stars and Seas” embodied the energetic and vibrant spirit of the university.
Nearing the end of the ceremony, all students and faculty stood to sing the “Hainan Normal University Anthem” together. With enthusiastic applause from everyone present, the opening ceremony concluded successfully.
