cting President Park Chan-wook is giving his congratulatory speech at the 72nd summer graduation ceremony

The 72nd SNU Summer Graduation ceremony was held on August 29, 2018.

In the first commencement speech, SNU Interim President Park Chan Wook conveyed his congratulations to graduates on behalf of the SNU faculty and administration, and expressed his gratitude to the faculty, staff, alumni, and family members who have supported the graduates throughout their academic journeys.

In his speech, Professor Park highlighted the importance of university education, where the exploration of ideas across various academic fields of inquiry builds a foundation for making wise, informed decisions in the future. He described SNU as an educational haven where the intellectual property of humankind is transmitted and new ideas are born, allowing its members to discover themselves as contributors to society.

Addressing the graduates, Professor urged them to “commit themselves to identifying and solving the fundamental problems of modern society,” and that they “become proficient in their area of expertise, while also developing maturity and wisdom through constant internal reflection.”

Professor Park concluded the speech by quoting Nietzsche’s Thus Spoke Zarathustra, urging the graduates to become strong and wise people that aim to “pursue and exude human greatness in an everlasting journey to overcoming the self for the betterment of society.”

Written by Chae Hyun Kim, SNU English Editor, michelle25@snu.ac.kr
Reviewed by Professor Travis Smith, Department of Asian Languages and Civilizations, tlsmith@snu.ac.kr