On September 11, the “First Run for New Students” event at theShien-Ming Wu School of Intelligent Engineering was successfully held.Academician Xiaoqi Chen, Dean of the School; Zheng Zhang, Party Secretary;Yaohua Wu, Director of Administration at Mingcheng College; Haichao Chen,Founder and Chairman of Guangzhou Jingdian Talent Innovation Co., Ltd. and anEMBA alumnus of the School of Business Administration; Hailin He, GeneralManager; and Xianhui Huang, General Manager of Guangzhou Xianda Space Design Co.,Ltd., all attended the event. Academician Xiaoqi Chen served as the leadrunner, starting the race alongside all the guests and the Class of 2026freshmen, kicking off their first university lesson with a run.

A scene from the “First Run for New Students”

At the start of the event, Academician Chen delivered an openingaddress. He said that a university is not only a new starting point foracquiring knowledge and pursuing academic excellence but also a new journey ofpersonal growth and success. He expressed his hope that all new students wouldtake the “First Run” as an opportunity to strengthen their physique and tempertheir character, and that they would always maintain a striving spirit on theirfuture academic journey, persevering and moving forward with courage anddetermination.

Under the guidance of professional coaches, the freshmen completed afull set of warm-up exercises to thoroughly loosen up their bodies and get intothe right mindset. As the starting signal sounded, students and teachers strodeout of the starting line with determined, powerful strides. They encouraged oneanother as they ran side by side, showcasing the freshmen’s vibrant energy andteam spirit. Refreshment stations were set up along the route, with volunteerson duty throughout the race to provide water and emergency support toparticipating students and teachers. Upon reaching the finish line, everyonepaused to take photos, capturing this ceremonial moment marking their entryinto the school.

Many participating students shared their experiences of the run.Zhuo Jiaying, a master’s student and a “familiar face” who had earned herbachelor’s degree at South China University of Technology, set out anew as afirst-year graduate student. Running side by side with the dean and herclassmates through the familiar campus in her new role filled her withmotivation and anticipation for this new phase of her graduate studies. PengXinnan from Class 2 of the Robotics Engineering program noted that although shehadn’t exercised in a long time and found the run quite challenging, she stillpersevered and completed the entire course. The sense of accomplishment uponcrossing the finish line, the feeling of belonging to the group, and thethoughtful support along the route left her feeling deeply inspired and warm.

The significance of the “Freshmen’s First Run” extends beyondphysical exercise to spiritual enlightenment. Standing at the starting line,ready to sprint, mirrors the mindset freshmen should adopt as they embark onthis new phase of college life; regulating one’s breathing and maintaining asteady pace during the run reflect the perseverance and resilience required onthe path of learning; and the sense of accomplishment upon crossing the finishline is the simplest yet most profound interpretation of the saying,“Perseverance leads to victory.” The college has chosen running as the firstlesson for incoming freshmen precisely to help them realize, as they take theirfirst steps forward, that pursuing knowledge is like running: only bymaintaining a firm goal, steady strides, and sustained effort can one proceedsteadily and go far.

The first ideological and political education class taught by Party Secretary Zhang and Dean Chen

The vice dean in charge conducts orientation for new students.

Freshman class meeting and laboratory safety training

In addition to the “First Run for New Students,” the college’sOrientation Week also featured a series of thematic educational activitiescentered on three key dimensions—ideological guidance, academic planning, anddaily education—thereby establishing a comprehensive, multi-tiered orientationsystem. Party Secretary Zhang Zheng and Academician Chen Xiaoqi, delivered thefirst ideological and political education sessions to new graduate studentParty members and new undergraduate students, respectively. Vice Dean Xu Dabopresided over a special meeting on academic integrity and standards forgraduate students, while Vice Dean Chen Baiji provided a detailedinterpretation of the undergraduate curriculum. Student advisors and laboratorysafety officers organized orientation class meetings and specialized laboratorysafety training sessions for new students, respectively.

This week-long series of orientation activities lays a solidfoundation for the Class of 2026, helping them smoothly transition into theirnew roles, quickly integrate into campus life, clarify their path of growth,and set a clear course for the future. We look forward to all incoming studentstaking this as a new starting point, transforming their insights andexperiences into action, dedicating themselves wholeheartedly to their studiesat Huayuan, forging ahead with determination, and accelerating their youth onthe race track of the intelligent technology era.(Text/Photos:Shien-Ming Wu School of Intelligent Engineering)