DKU celebrates resilience and achievements of Class of 2025

Duke Kunshan University celebrated its 2025 commencement on Friday, conferring degrees on 481 graduates and honoring a class shaped by resilience, adaptability and global ambition.

The outdoor ceremony, held in DKU Square, recognized 339 undergraduate and 142 master’s students from across China and around the world. Students, families, faculty and guests gathered in celebration, many traveling long distances to mark this milestone.

Speakers included Chancellor Yaolin Liu, Executive Vice Chancellor John Quelch, student speakers Abdul Haey-ee (Ace) Asim and Wingki Chu, and Junyi Li, who gave the faculty speech.

Liu praised the students for building a “vibrant, inclusive and global community” and for turning DKU into “a place of belonging.”

“Let purpose — not just ambition — shape your path,” Liu said. “Stay curious, stay open, and use what you’ve learned here to serve society. And always remember: DKU will be your home, wherever you go.”

“You are not just DKU graduates — you are DKU itself,” said Quelch. “Carry this name forward in your resumes, your workplaces, your communities. Wherever life takes you, live out the DKU spirit — with empathy, integrity and a deep sense of global responsibility.”

Quelch encouraged graduates to lead with humility and principle, embrace cultural fluency, and “innovate with a conscience.”

DKU’s fourth undergraduate cohort collecting their degrees has already secured hundreds of offers between them for further study at universities such as Harvard, Stanford, Oxford, Cambridge, Yale, Tsinghua and Peking University. Dozens have been admitted to Ph.D. programs, while the likes of Meta, JPMorgan Chase, Xiaomi and other top employers have made job offers.

Junyi Li, a lecturer in the Language and Culture Center and recipient of DKU’s 2024 Excellence in Teaching Award, delivered a faculty address.

“Class of 2025, you are a paradox: deeply rooted in this community today, yet destined to soar into future skies we can’t even imagine,” she said. “Wherever you go, take DKU’s spirit with you — the courage to ask ‘what’s next?’ even when the path flickers like a dying projector bulb.”