To commend advanced models, set up exemplary benchmarks and foster a positive educational atmosphere of striving for excellence, the School of Management grandly held the 2024-2025 Academic Year Student Commendation Congress and Growth Story Sharing Session themed Exemplary Leadership, Marching Forward towards the Light in Lecture Hall A100 of the West Teaching Building at the Chang'an Campus on the afternoon of December 18. The event witnessed glorious moments and shared growth gains together. Yu Hui, Director of the Student Affairs Office and Minister of the Student Work Department of the University Party Committee, together with Zhang Shuang, Secretary of the Party Committee of the School of Management, Che Ada, Dean, Chen Lin, Vice Dean, Wang Haixiao, Deputy Party Secretary, Li Chenglong, Assistant Dean, representative homeroom teachers, all student affairs staff, representatives of commended advanced collectives and outstanding students, as well as student representatives of all grades, attended the congress. Wang Meng, a 2024 postgraduate student, and Deng Jiongjie, a 2024 undergraduate student, co-hosted the event.

The congress kicked off with the solemn national anthem. Zhang Shuang read out the commendation list, honoring 22 advanced collectives and 312 individual awardees who had made outstanding achievements in various fields including academic development, scientific research, innovation competitions, social practice, and cultural and sports activities over the past academic year.

Amid warm applause from the audience, the attending leaders and teachers presented honorary certificates to the representatives of the commended advanced collectives and outstanding individuals.

Zhang Shuang presented awards to the individual and collective winners of Party and League commendations.

Che Ada presented awards to the recipients of the National Scholarship for Postgraduates.

Yu Hui presented awards to the recipients of the National Scholarship for Undergraduates.

Chen Lin and Wang Haixiao presented awards to the representative recipients of special scholarships.

Li Chenglong and homeroom teacher Xiao Ping presented awards to the representative recipients of university-level scholarships.

Homeroom teachers Zhu Jianhui and Jie Renlong presented awards to the representative recipients of school-level scholarships.

Homeroom teachers Huang Zhen and Li Hengyu presented awards to the commended collectives.

In the growth story sharing session, nine representatives of outstanding students and collectives recounted their gains over the past academic year. Feng Yuqiang, a 2022 doctoral student, Ye Yuqing, a 2024 postgraduate student, and Wang Siyu, a 2023 undergraduate student—all recipients of the National Scholarship, Yang Muyu, a 2022 undergraduate student and winner of the University's Star of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Award, Arizgul, a 2023 undergraduate student and recipient of the school's Pomegranate Flower Award, and Meng Linxi, a 2024 undergraduate student and winner of the school's International Exchange Award, shared their inspiring growth stories of striving for progress from the perspectives of academic development, scientific research, innovation and entrepreneurship, ethnic unity, and international exchange respectively. Yang Lei, Deputy Secretary of the Sixth Postgraduate Party Branch, Dong Zixiong, a member of the Optimizing the Present, Managing the Future supervisor-student team, and Zhang Xinrong, monitor of Undergraduate Class 12032201, shared valuable experience in team cooperation and class construction from a collective perspective.

Feng Guozhen, a 2025 undergraduate student, delivered a speech as a freshman representative, talking about her aspirations for future academic studies and firmly expressing her determination to learn from the role models.

In his speech, Yu Hui extended warm congratulations to the commended collectives and individuals on behalf of the Student Work Department of the University Party Committee. He affirmed the students' outstanding performances and inspiring mental outlook in academics, scientific research, practice, culture and sports, and put forward expectations for the students from three aspects: being dream chasers with a heart for the country and the nation, being doers who work pragmatically and diligently, and being exemplars with both moral integrity and professional competence. He hoped that the students would strengthen their faith foundation, forge excellent academic knowledge, cultivate noble morals, learn from the commended students, emulate the virtuous, forge ahead with perseverance, and strive for outstanding achievements.

On behalf of the school, Che Ada congratulated the commended advanced collectives and outstanding individuals, and expressed gratitude to the teachers who have worked diligently on the frontlines of teaching and scientific research. He reviewed the school's achievements in innovation competitions, international exchanges, and student work over the past year, and pointed out the shortcomings and deficiencies in the school's talent cultivation work. He encouraged the students to take the advanced collectives and individuals around them as examples and put forward four expectations:

Nurture a sincere devotion to the country and lofty aspirations, integrate personal ideals into the overall national development, and find the life coordinates in serving the national priorities.

Study diligently and practice earnestly, unify knowledge and action, consolidate the professional knowledge system of management, actively participate in academic seminars, corporate practice and disciplinary competitions, and transform classroom learning into the ability to solve practical problems.

Dare to innovate and break through, pay attention to the opportunities and challenges brought by new technologies such as artificial intelligence and big data to management, and think about how to use new technologies to optimize decision-making, innovate models and lead transformation.

Temper moral character and pursue all-round development, learn to be inclusive and cooperative in team work, understand responsibility and dedication in voluntary service, forge willpower in sports, and gain growth in communication.

The congress drew to a close in the stirring melody of the Northwestern Polytechnical University school song sung by all faculty and students.

This congress commended the advanced collectives and outstanding individuals who had won various honors and awards in the 2024-2025 academic year, including 7 collectives and 58 individuals awarded in Party and League commendations, 28 recipients of the National Scholarship, 25 recipients of special scholarships, 172 recipients of university-level scholarships, 29 recipients of school-level scholarships, 11 university-level advanced collectives and 4 school-level advanced collectives.

(Text & Photos by Zhang Mengyu; Reviewed by Wang Haixiao, Zhang Shuang)