Chen Chia-hong, Ph. D. graduate of Department of Electrical Engineering, slowly walked with the assistant apparatus up the auditorium to receive the certificate of diploma from President Flora, a touching sight that aroused all the teachers and students on the spot to stand up with applauses. He expressed his gratitude to the teachers that lead him to graduation.

Chen is forty-two years old. Because he suffered a rare spinal disease, he sat to sleep for almost 10 years. However, he persisted in the optimistic attitude and never stopped learning. His story moved all the graduates. President Chang commented that Chen Chia-hong’s passion for knowledge and courage in breaking through difficulties attest to Tamkang’s motto “Simplicity, Truthfulness, Firmness, and Perseverance.”

In their encouragements for the graduates, Founder Clement C. P. Chang and President Flora C. I. Chang both referred to the investigation on 1000 enterprises conducted by Cheers in April: Tamkang ranked the 8th of the universities in Taiwan, the first in private ones in the last consecutive 9 years. They wished that students develop global visions and often come back and visit Tamkang after graduation.

Wu Mow-kuen, an alumni of Department of Physics and member of Academia Sinica, urged students to look at and thank the parents and friends around them, and commented, “Without them, your four years will not be as wonderful as now.” Wu also proposed three principles to share with the graduates: first, language and computer proficiency in the future connected world are important; second, honesty is more important than egoistic ideas; third, we can share everything in our life with friends.

Wong Yin Ching, a graduate of Department of Educational Science, presented the thank-you speech for all the graduates. She expressed with touching and humorous tone that college life is the life of love, literature, music, movies, fooling around with bosom-friends, and dreaming. As she said, “In Tamkang, we embrace youth, passion, great dreams and everything this world confer on us.” She encouraged everybody not to give up faith facing the unknown future. Her speech ended with the more than 2000 graduates’ standing up and applauding.

Certificates of diploma and various prizes were presented. Finally, all the teachers and students sang the school anthem and the song “Flying with Heart” together with various video clips of students’ college life. Many students burst into tears and embraced each other after singing. They also took the last chance to take pictures with their teachers and classmates. Everybody said goodbye to Tamkang in his/her own way. (~ Han-yu Huang )