在西安交通大学2015年毕业典礼上的讲话
马克﹒莱顿
2015年6月27日
尊敬的张书记、王校长、毕业生们、教职员工们：
非常荣幸到访西安交通大学，在这一隆重的场合见证这一著名大学新一届毕业生的成绩。对于所有支持本届毕业生的人，包括你们的父母、亲人、好友、老师们， 今天都是一个伟大的日子。
我受邀来到西安这座历史名城，非常荣幸能够在此向各位做简短发言。我所在的大学是圣路易斯华盛顿大学，不是华盛顿州的华盛顿大学西雅图分校，也不是华盛顿哥伦比亚特区的华盛顿大学。而是在美国中部地区的密苏里州，圣路易市，密西西比河畔。像西安一样，我们的大学也位于一个伟大国家的中部地区，享有悠久的历史。西安交通大学已发展成为全中国最知名的大学之一，也正跻身于世界一流大学。在此，仅对张书记、王校长、学术领导班子以及广大师生致以诚挚的祝贺。一所大学正是由它的师生来缔造的，西安交通大学的师生必定是杰出的。
毕业生们，你们带着巨大的潜力来到西安交通大学，我相信各位已在这里实现了你们的部分潜力，并为这所大学和社会出了重要的贡献。然而你们在这里接受的教育也提升了各位的潜力。你们已经准备好为你们的社会、国家乃至整个世界做出更加杰出的贡献。作为一流大学的毕业生，你们是跻身世界的精英，因为你们都接受了良好的教育。你们接受的教育将永远跟着你们。你们可能丢掉毕业生证书或将其搁置一边，但你们接受的教育将永远跟着你们，无论你们身在何处，或从事什么工作。
无论你们所学的专业是什么，有了良好的教育，你们将有机会造福整个世界。是的，你们将拥有一个满意而学有所获的人生。我衷心希望你们能在各个方面取得成功。我认为家庭生活比职业生涯更重要。有成功的家庭关系才是成功的人生。同样，成功的人生也需要诚挚的友情。挚友会在你困难的时候伸出援手，在你成功时与你一同庆祝。我同样也希望你们经济稳定，获得应得的职业发展机遇。
除了你们自身的成功外，作为世界上的教育精英，你们还有义务通过自身的教育为他人的福祉而努力。当前有相当多的全球性挑战需要接受过高等教育以及来自不同知识背景的人为之奋斗。我认为有五个主要的全球性挑战需要应对：一，以合理的价格，提供我们所需的能源，并不对环境造成恶性影响；二，应对全球老龄化人口，包括老年痴呆症在内的疾病以及研究终生保持创造力的方法；三，满足不断增长的人口对清洁用水和食品营养的需求；四，根除贫困；五，应对严重的公共卫生挑战，如SARS、埃博拉病毒以及中东呼吸综合症。
这些全球性的问题以及其他区域和各国发展中的问题将需要受教育的人士共同应对。大学之间可以就主要的问题开展项目合作，西安交通大学和圣路易斯华盛顿大学将致力于此。然而双方的成功取决于各方人员通力合作。今天在场的各位受过良好教育的毕业生们，我殷切地希望你们可以加入进来，通过你们的努力将我们的世界变得更加美好。现在你们拥有比刚进入西安交通大学时更多的潜力。你们现在有责任释放你们的潜力，为你们的社会、国家乃至整个世界做出积极的贡献。
毕业生们，你们已经取得了很大的成就。我迫不及待地想看到你们在未来的成绩。祝贺大家成功毕业！
Commencement Address to the Graduates
by
Mark S. Wrighton, PhD
Chancellor and Professor of Chemistry
Washington University in St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri United States of America
Xi’an Jiaotong University
Xi’an, China
June 27, 2015
Dear Chairman ZHANG Maizeng, President WANG Shuguo, new graduates, faculty and staff, it is a privilege to be with the community of Xi’an Jiaotong University on this important occasion to recognize the achievements of the newest graduates of this great university. To all who have supported these graduates, including parents and other family members, friends, faculty and staff, this is a day of great happiness.
I am in this wonderful city of Xi’an as a guest, and it is an honor to be able to address you briefly. My university is Washington University in St. Louis, not in Seattle, Washington and not in Washington, DC, but in St. Louis, Missouri, in the middle of the United States on the Mississippi River. Like Xi’an, we are in the middle of a great country, with a strong history. Xi’an Jiaotong University has become one of the most outstanding universities in all of China and is taking its place among the great universities of the world. Congratulations to Chairman ZHANG Maizeng, President Wang Shuguo, fellow leaders in the academic administration, and to the faculty and students. It is the faculty and students that define a university, and the faculty and students here are outstanding.
New graduates, you came to Xi’an Jiaotong University with great potential, and I am confident that you have realized some of that potential here and have made important contributions to this university and to this community. But the education you have obtained has now enhanced your potential. You are now prepared to make even greater contributions to your community, to your country, and to the world. As a graduate of an excellent university you are among the world’s elite, because you have a great education. Your education is something that will always be with you. You will have a certificate assuring that you have fulfilled the degree requirements for your graduation. You may lose or misplace that certificate, but your education will always be with you, no matter where you go or what you do.
With your education, whatever specialty you have pursued, you will have the chance to make a contribution to making our world better. Yes, you will be able to have a satisfying and rewarding life. It is my hope that you will be successful in every respect. It is my view that family life always comes before professional life. A successful life will be one with rewarding family relationships. A successful life also is one associated with good friendships. Good friends can help you through difficulties and celebrate with you in your successes. It is my hope also that you are financially secure and have rewarding professional opportunities.
Beyond your own success, as one of the educated elite of the world, you have the responsibility to use your education to make a contribution to the well-being of others. There are several great global challenges that will require contributions from highly educated people and from many different intellectual backgrounds. I think there are five major global challenges to work on: (1) providing the energy we need, at an affordable cost, and without adverse effect on the environment; (2) addressing the issues of an aging global population, from diseases like Alzheimer’s disease to learning how to remain productive throughout our lives; (3) meeting the growing population’s need for clean water and nutritious food; (4) overcoming poverty; and (5) dealing with serious public health challenges, like SARS, ebola, and MERS.
These global problems and other local and domestic problems will require that educated people everyone work together to solve them. Universities can nurture collaboration to work on major projects together, and Xi’an Jiaotong University and Washington University in St. Louis will do that. But our success depends on people committed to working together. Highly educated people like the new graduates here today. I hope that you will join in working to make our world better. You have even greater potential than when you started your degree program here. You now have the responsibility to realize that potential to make a positive contribution to your community, your country and the world.
To the graduates you have achieved a great deal already. I am excited to learn about what you will do in the future. Congratulations on your graduation!
