校长开学典礼英文讲话.doc

校长开学典礼英文讲话 开学典礼的时候需要校长讲话，校长讲什么呢？下面了校长开学典礼英文讲话稿，请看： WeletoNYUShanghai JeffreyS.Lehman NewStudentConvocation August22,20* MembersoftheNYUShanghaiClassof2019,familymembers,andfriends,onbehalfofthefacultyandtheadministrativestaffofNYUShanghai,itismygreathonortoshareafewwordsofwelethismorning. Familymembersandfriends,Ihopeyouwillforgiveme.ForthenextfewminutesIwillbespeakingtoourstudentsandnottoyou.IneedtotellthemwhattheycanexpectfromtheireducationhereatNYUShanghai.Orcourse,Idoinviteyoutolistenin,sinceIsuspectyoumightbealittlebitcuriousaboutwhattheirliveswillbelike. NYUShanghaistudents,Iwouldliketostartwithcongratulations.Congratulationsforyourachievementandcongratulationsforyourgoodjudgment. Youachievedsomethingextraordinarywhenyouwereadmittedtothisclass.Tobeselectedfromamongthousandsandthousandsofapplicantsandinvitedtobeoneofthe300inourclass,youhadtodemonstratetous,throughanexceptionallydemandingprocess,thatyouaresmart,thatyouworkhard,andthatyouarepreparedforthespecialresponsibilitiesthatgowithbeingamemberofthisacademicmunity.Congratulationsforyourachievement. Youalsoshowedextraordinarilygoodjudgmentwhenyoudecidedtoaeptouroffer.Eachandeveryoneofyoucouldhavedecidedtogosomewheresafer,somewherelessdemanding,butyouallchosechallenge.Youhadthegoodjudgmenttomityourselvestoaprocessofpersonalgrowthandtransformationthatyoucouldnothaveaomplishedaswellatanyotheruniversity,aprocessthatwillcreatespecialopportunitiesforyouthroughoutyourlives.Congratulationsforyourgoodjudgment. Andnowyouareabouttoenjoyanincrediblerewardforyourachievementandyourgoodjudgment.Youareabouttoreceiveaneducationthatisuniqueintheworld,aneducationthatisprofoundlydifferentfromtheeducationthatyouhavereceivedbefore,andprofoundlydifferentfromtheeducationthatyourfriendswillreceiveatotheruniversities. SowhatarewetryingtoaomplishhereatNYUShanghai?Howisitsimilartowhathappensatanygreatuniversity?Andhowisitdifferent? Thefundamentalmissionofanygreatuniversityistopreparestudentsforsatisfyingandmeaningfuladultlives.Anditisimportanttoappreciatethatthismissioncannotbeachievedbytransplantingwisdomfrombrilliantteachersbrainsintobrilliantstudentsbrains. Thinkaboutwhatittakestobeeapianistorabasketballplayer.YoucannotsimplystudythetheoriesofLangLangorStephenCurry.Youhavetopractice.Youhavetodiscoverwhatitfeelsliketoplaybeautifully.Thesamerealityappliesifyouwanttobeeaphysicistorapoet,asoftwareengineerorbig-citymayor.Youhavetopractice.Youhavetodiscoverwhatitfeelsliketoplaybeautifully.Youhavetofollowaprocessofactivediscovery. Everygreatuniversityismittedtothisunderstanding,andherewearenodifferent.Weareheretoguideyoudownapathofactivediscovery.Activediscoveryisanessentialpartofaliberaleducation. Sothereitis.Ijustusedatermyouhaveheardbefore,“liberaleducation.”What,exactly,doesthatmean?Whatmakesaneducationa“liberal”education? Somepeoplemakethemistakeofthinkingaliberaleducationmeanshavingthe“liberty”tostudywhateveryouwant.Well,thatsnotit.Infact,aliberaleducationmeanssystematicallyacquiringcertainknowledge,masteringcertainskills,anddevelopingcertainvirtues,sothatyourmindandspiritwillbe“liberated,”sothatyouwillbeempoweredtolivefreeandresponsibleadultlives. Inthetwenty-firstcentury,anexcellentliberaleducationhasmanythingsinmonwithwhatconstitutedanexcellentliberaleducationinthetwentiethcentury.Butithasalsoevolved.Theknowledge,skills,andvirtuesthatareessentialtoleadingalifeofsatisfactionandcontributionhaveevolvedoverthepast100years,becausethenatureofhumansocietyhasevolved,andhasinfactbeenevolvingatanaeleratingrateofspeed. Idliketotakeafewminutesnowtodescribetheknowledge,skills,andvirtuesthatwebelieveareattheheartofanexcellenttwenty-firstcenturyliberaleducation. Whatknowledgemustyouacquire?Youmustbeeintimatelyfamiliarwithglobalpoliticalhistory,youmustbeeintimatelyfamiliarwiththehistoryofculturalexpressionthroughliterature,art,andmusic,andyoumustbeeintimatelyfamiliarwiththedevelopmentofhumanitysmostinfluentialideasinthenaturalsciences,inmoralandpoliticalphilosophy,andineconomics. Whatskillsmustyoumaster?Youmustlearntoundertakerigorousquantitativeanalysis,tospeakseverallanguagesproficiently,touseputingtechnologyasatool,tothinkcreativelyandprecisely,andtoworkeffectivelywithpeoplefromdifferentcultures. ThismorningIwanttotakeafewminutestotalkabouttwoofthoseskillsinparticulartheskillofthinkingcreativelyandprecisely,andtheskillofworkingeffectivelywithpeoplefromdifferentcultures. Tobesuessfulinthetwenty-firstcentury,youneedtolearnhowtodevelopnewideas(tothinkcreatively)andthenyouneedtolearnhowtostepbackcalmlyanddeterminewhetherthoseideasaregoodorbad,helpfulorworthless(tothinkprecisely).Howcanyoudevelopyourcreativityandyourprecision?Thatdevelopmentrequiresthatyoudevelopdepth,breadth,andapassionfortruth.Depthmeansyouhavereallymasteredwhatotherpeopleknowaboutyourfield.Breadthmeansyouhavebroadenedyourexperiencesoutintoareasthatdonotseemrelatedtoyourfield,sothatyourbrainhasthefuelitneedstoseenewconnections.Passionfortruthmeansyouareabsolutelymittedtounderstandingtheworldasitreallyis,evenifthatisdifferentfromwhatyouthought,orwhatyouhoped.Youwillneedthispassioninordertoanalyzewhetheryournewideaisactuallyvaluable,andnotjustaclevermistake. NYUShanghaiisanunusualuniversity,butperhapsnotunique,initsfocusonensuringthatyoudevelopyourdepth,yourbreadth,andyourpassionfortruth,inorderthatyoudevelopyourskillsascreativeandprecisethinkers.Thatfocushasshapedeverythingfromourcurricularrequirementstoourprogramoncreativityandinnovation. ButNYUShanghaiistrulyuniqueinthewayithasfocusedonhelpingyoudeveloptheskillofworkingeffectivelywithpeoplefromdifferentcultures.Youchosetoeherebecause,unlikeanyotheruniversityintheworld,NYUShanghaiensuresthateverytalentedChinesestudenthasanequallytalentednon-Chineseroommate,andeverytalentednon-ChinesestudenthasanequallytalentedChineseroommate.Everydayyouwillhavetheopportunitytoimmerseyourselfintheprojectofunderstandinghowculturesaresimilarandhowtheyaredifferent.Everydayyouwillhavetheopportunitytoengageinactivelearningabouthowtobeaneffectivebridgeperson,avoicepeoplewilllistentowhentheyareworkingtogetherinamulticulturalenvironment. Okay,soIvetalkedaboutknowledgeandaboutskills.Thelastcategoryisvirtues.Whatarethevirtuesyouwilldevelophere?Amongotherthings,youmuststrengthenyourcuriosity,yourempathy,yourhumility,yourgenerosityofspirit,yourauthenticity,andyourcourage.ThismorningIwanttoemphasizetwoofthosevirtues:authenticityandcourage. Withregardtoauthenticity,Icanbebrief.Suessinthetwenty-firstcenturyrequiresyoutospeakhonestly,inyourownvoice.Nobodylikesafake.Andcheatingistheroadtofailureanddisgrace.(AtNYUShanghai,cheatingistheroadtobeingsenthomeinshame.Wehavezerotoleranceforcheaters.)Allgreatuniversitiescherishauthenticity,andwearenodifferenthereatNYUShanghai. Withregardtocourage,Iwanttosayabitmore.Twenty-firstcenturylifeischallengingandstressful.Itisintellectuallychallengingandstressful,anditisemotionallychallengingandstressful.Asadultsyouwillconstantlyhavetoconfrontideasthatyoudonotagreewith,ideasthatmakeyouunfortable.Andsometimesthoseideaswillbeexpressedinwaysthatareaggressiveorrude,withoutanyconsiderationforyourfeelings. IbelievethatNYUShanghaiisunusuallystronginitsmitmenttohelpingyoudevelopthecourageyouwillneedtomanagesuchchallengesandstresseseffectively.BeforeyoucametoNYUShanghai,youmayhavebeeninenvironmentswhereyourparents,yourfriends,orevenyourteacherstriedtoprotectyoufromaggressiveencounterswithupsettingideas,sothatyoucoulddevelopyourselfconfidence.Andyoushouldknowthatsomeuniversities,evengreatuniversities,followthatsame,protectiveapproach. HereatNYUShanghai,however,wehaveadifferentphilosophy.Asadults,however,youwillnotbeprotectedfromthesekindsofchallengesandstresses.Forthatreason,webelieveourpriorityshouldbeonhelpingyoulearnhowtomanagethemeffectively.Thekeyisintellectualcourage. Intellectualcouragerequiresyoutobepletelyfortablewithplexityandambiguity.Itrequiresyoutoappreciatehowmanyproblems,howmanyquestions,donothaveonlyonerightanswer.Tohelpyougainthatappreciation,yourprofessorswillbeconstantlybombardingyouwithsuchquestions. Intheclassroom,wewillbehelpingyoulearnhowtodevelopsophisticatedandimpressiveanswerstoourquestions.Justasimportantly,atthesametime,wewillbehelpingyoutoseethatothersmightgivedifferentanswersthatareequallysophisticatedandimpressive.Butwewillalsohelpyourecognizethatsomepathsarewrongthatsayingsomethingbrandnewdoesnotmakeyoucreativeororiginalifwhatyousayisnotalsogroundedinthoughtfulness,honesty,andintellectualrigor. OneofthemostimportanttechniquesyouwillmasteratNYUShanghaiistheabilitytoansweraquestionwiththewords,“Itdepends.”Everyassertionoftruthdependsontheassumptionsonemakesabouttheworld.Amunityisagroupofpeoplewhosharemanyassumptions.Intellectualrigormeansbeingcarefultomakeyourassumptionsclear,andbeingthoughtfulaboutwhatwouldhappenifthoseassumptionsweretochange. Sointellectualcouragebeginswithbeingfortablewithplexity.Butitdoesnotendthere.Italsomeansbeingabletoresisttwoimpulsesthatmostpeoplefeelverynaturally.First,intellectualcouragemeansresistingtheimpulsetorunawayfromengagementanddisagreement.Andsecond,intellectualcouragemeansresistingtheimpulsetorushtodecidethatoneperspectiveisrightandanotherperspectiveiswrong. Asyoulearnhowtosay,“itdependsonyourassumptions”inamulticulturalenvironment,Ipromiseyou,youwillbetemptedtorunawayfromdisagreement.Youwillbetemptedtosaythingslikethis:“Theanswertothatdependsonyourassumptions,differentculturesmakedifferentassumptions,werespectallculturesequally,wedontwanttosayanythingthatanyoneelsemightfindtroublingorupsetting,soletsjustagreetodisagree.” Butthatwouldberunningaway.Itwouldignoretheessentialfactthatculturesarenotfrozeninplacetheyevolveovertime.IamanAmerican.Inthe1800smycultureassumedthatitwasOKforpeopletoownotherpeopleasslavesandthatitwasOKtosaythattheonlypeoplewhocouldvotearemen.Todaythoseassumptionsarenolongerapartofmyculture.Thatisbecauseintheinterveningyearspeoplewerepreparedtoquestionthoseassumptions,tocriticizemycountryspractices,andtoargueinfavorofchange. HereatNYUShanghai,weareunusuallymittedtohelpingyoulearntoresisttheimpulsetorunawayfromengagementoverdisagreement.Wehavedesignedouruniversitytomaximizetheopportunityyouhavetoengagedeeplywithpeoplefromdifferentcultures.Youwillhavetheopportunityeverydaynotonlytonoticethatanotherculturemakesdifferentassumptions,butalsotoexplorewhyitmakesthoseassumptions.Youwillhavetheopportunitytodiscusswhetherthoseassumptionsarereasonable. Ofcourse,havingthecouragetofaceandexplorechallengingideasonanintellectuallevelwithyourclassmatesandteachersdoesnotmeanbeinginsensitivetootherpeoplesfeelings.Forexample,honestandeffectiveexplorationofchallengingideasrequiresthatyounotcallotherpeoplenames.Itmeansyouwillnotcallsomeonewhothinksdifferentlyfromyou“stupid”or“immoral.” Inaddition,yourstudyherewillhelpyoustrengthenyourcapacitytodealeffectivelywithsituationswheresomeoneelsehassaidsomethingthatleftyoufeelingpersonallyinsulted.Forexample,youwilllearnnotrushtoassumethattheotherpersonintendedapersonalinsultjustbecausetheysaidsomethingthatwouldbeinsultinginyourhomeculture.Moreover,iftheydidmessupandintendtoinsultyou,youwilllearntoresistthenaturalhumanimpulsetocallthemnamesinreturn.Insteadyouwillstayfocusedonaddressingtheirsubstantiveclaimsinacalmlyanalyticalmanner,perhapssuggestingalongthewayhowyouthinktheymighthavepresentedthoseclaimswithgreatercivilityandrespect. NYUShanghaiisamunityofpeoplewhothinktogether,inaspiritoftolerance,respect,andmutualappreciation.Asoftoday,everyoneofyouhasbeeabuilderofthatmunity.Byremainingmittedtothesevalues,westrengthenourabilitytofindsharedperspectiveandunderstanding,evenwhenwedonotfindfullagreement. Andthisleadsmetothesecondnaturalimpulsethatyouwillneedcouragetoresist.Alongsidethedangerousimpulsetorunawayfromexploringthesourcesofdisagreementsistheequallydangerousimpulsetoruntowardsarapiddecisionthatoneanswertoaproblemisrightandtheotheriswrong. TheEnglishpoetJohnKeatsrecognizedthatwheneverpeoplefacetwoconflictingarguments,theynaturallyseekrapidclosure.Conflictcreatesemotionaltension,anditisnaturaltomakethattensiongoawaybychoosingwhichargumentisrightandwhichiswrong,whichisstrongerandwhichisweaker.Keatswroteadmiringlyaboutpeoplewhocouldresistthatnaturalimpulse.HewroteabouthowShakespearecould“luxuriateinuncertaintiesanddoubts,entertainingtwoopposingideaswithoutirritablereachingafterfactandreason.”Keatsgaveanametothisabilitytoentertaintwoopposingideas“withoutirritablereachingafterfactandreason.”Hecalledit“negativecapability.” Negativecapabilityisanexceptionallypowerfultool.Byputtingyourselfintothatstate,youwilltrulybeabletosystematicallyprobeandtestoutwhereanargumentisvulnerable,andwhereitisrobust. Andthisiswhyyoushowedsuchwonderfuljudgmentwhenyouchosetobehere.Becausethelargestnationalmunityhereisonlyhalftheclass,eachofyouhasthechance,everyday,tospendatleastpartofthedayengagedinseriousconversationwithsomeonefromanothernation.Everyday!Ifyoudothiseverydayifnotfortheentiredaythenatleastforpartofthedaythenyouwillcapturethemostastonishingbenefitsofbeinghere.Ifyoufailtodoso,thenwewillhavewastedapreciousseatinthisclass. Togatherthebenefitsofbeinghereyoumustdothis.Youmustengage.YoumustmityourselvesfullytobeingnotaChineseclassandanAmericanclassandarest-of-the-worldclass,buttobe