The Opening Ceremony of Dual-Degree Program of 2022 Cohort in Environmental Science
Golden autumn brings cool breezes and the fragrance of osmanthus. On October 22nd, the Opening Ceremony of Dual-Degree Program of 2022 Cohort in Environmental Science jointly conducted by Northwest A&F University and University of Arizona was held at our university. Vice President Professor Wang Yonggang from the University of Arizona and the program director Professor Charles Kenneth Smith, as well as Vice President Professor Luo Jun from our university, attended the ceremony. Leaders from relevant departments and colleges, teaching staff from the University of Arizona, 85 freshmen majoring in Environmental Science, their class advisors, and parents of the freshmen who watched the live broadcast online all participated in the ceremony.
The ceremony was conducted in a “hybrid” format, combining online and offline participation. At the ceremony, Dean Tian Xiaohong of the College of Resources and Environment welcomed the 85 new students on behalf of the college and gave a detailed introduction in eight aspects: the college's historical development, organizational structure, development goals, disciplines and majors, faculty, research work, cultural construction, and international cooperation and exchange. Professor Huang Yimei, head of the Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, introduced the connotation, positioning, historical development, characteristics and advantages, training program, employment and further study prospects, and development prospects of the Environmental Science major.
Professor Jon Chorover, head of the Environmental Science Department, played a video introducing the University of Arizona, allowing everyone to appreciate its charm together. Professors Wang Yonggang and Charles Kenneth Smith introduced the long history and major programs of the University of Arizona, expressing their full support for the students' learning and encouraging them to make good use of the high-quality teaching resources of the University of Arizona to continuously improve their professional quality and level.
Pan Yunkun, representing the freshmen, shared his learning experience since enrollment and pledged to remember the school motto of “Integrity, Simplicity, Courage, and Perseverance.” He expressed his commitment to exploring research, thinking independently, studying diligently, asking questions actively, and making progress together with his classmates to protect and build a better ecological environment, making the sky of our motherland bluer, the mountains greener, and the water clearer, and contributing to a cleaner Earth.
Professor Luo Jun, on behalf of the university, extended a warm welcome to the 85 new students and all the teachers and parents attending the ceremony, and expressed his sincere thanks to the representatives from the University of Arizona who participated online from afar. Professor Luo Jun emphasized that to build a world-class agricultural university, it is essential to establish first-class agricultural education and align with international standards by pursuing an open approach to education. He hoped that the students would cultivate a deep sense of patriotism, find the right direction for progress, cherish the good learning conditions, remember the school motto, promote the spirit of Northwest A&F University, and be builders and practitioners of ecological civilization.
The 2022 freshmen are the third cohort of students admitted to the cooperative education program, which has been progressing smoothly and has already shown initial results. Our university will deepen its cooperation with the University of Arizona, further introduce high-quality teaching resources, and combine the strengths of both universities' majors to provide high-quality education and innovative research, equipping students with the knowledge to soar in their lives.
