Congratulatory Message from the President about Graduation

Proud graduates of Chung-Ang,

Welcome. I am Sangkyu Park, President of Chung-Ang University.

It is unfortunate that we are celebrating your graduation online due to COVID-19 instead of meeting you in person.

Congratulations on taking your first step into the real world after successfully completing your undergraduate degree.

I would also like to express my gratitude to the family members of the graduates for their devotion in pushing the graduates from the nest that we call school out into the real world.

And to the professors who have worked hard and taught the students with love, the faculty that has worked hard for the school administration, I thank you.

To our graduates, who are at the cusp of a new beginning,

you will now leave the warm boundaries of the college campus and step out into the real world.

I am sure you are experiencing mixed feelings, such as excitement, regret, anticipation, and fear - these feelings usually come with graduation and the idea of a new beginning.

We at Chung-Ang University have played a leading role in Korea’s history and society for over 100 years, and we are confident that our graduates have also been silently and devotedly playing that role throughout society.

I believe that you, too, will become true leaders of our society, with justice and truth.

But I would like to give some advice to those who may be concerned thinking about hardships in the real world.

When you graduate and enter society, you will not have much time to reflect upon yourselves as you will be busy adjusting to new lifestyles.

But I ask that you become a person who tries to get to know yourself better than others. The world you face is changing rapidly and unexpectedly.

I believe that a good way to respond to this is by understanding the nature of the changes and pioneering your own path. To do that, you must know yourself well.

As one can see the clear sky from the eye of a storm, it is my hope that you will find the path you desire without being swept away by the current.

I believe that searching for what you want and striving to achieve it is the beginning of building a happy life.

Furthermore, continue to take on challenges to achieve the dreams you hold in your heart. Become a member of society who actively cultivates your dreams.

The path you choose now might not be the path you have been dreaming of, and you may even be forced to make another choice in the near future.

But as the COVID-19 pandemic has shown us, unimaginable things can happen at an unexpected time. You never know when or how your dreams will come to you.

Always look forward, and work on strengthening yourself as you defend your dreams.

I hope you will find value in the lessons and rewards that come from the journey rather than the results and remember that it is the little challenges that amount to great achievements.

Graduates, I would like to ask you to be people who adhere to the principles of justice and truth, as you have learned at Chung-Ang University over the past 4 years.

As you work in the workplace, you may face unjust pressure or temptations for the sake of benefiting the corporations and organizations that you work for.

Have the courage to become enraged when it is necessary to do so, and to reject compromises. It may be difficult in the moment, but justice will prevail. Life is much longer than you think.

This way, there is no regret.

On a final note, today is the day you start a new relationship with your alma mater as alumni.

The greatest strength of a prestigious university is its alumni.

We ask that you continue to show interest and warm affection for your alma mater.

We at Chung-Ang University hope to take a powerful leap forward this year with “Digital Growth” as a turning point.

You leave our campus today, but Chung-Ang will always be with you for the rest of your lives.

We hope you won’t forget your deep interest and love for your school.

Finally, I extend my blessings to the graduates who will no doubt be shining a brighter light on the 100-year history of Chung-Ang. From the bottom of my heart, may you all turn the beautiful dreams you have cultivated during your time on this campus into a reality.

Thank you.

CAU President
Park Sang Gue