To deepen two-way exchanges in China-U.S. vocational education, assist overseas youth in experiencing up close the strength of Chinese vocational education and the culture of Huaxia, and implement the initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping during his 2023 visit to the United States that "China is willing to invite 50,000 American young people to come to China for exchanges and study over the next five years," our college has actively responded to the implementation of the YES (Young Envoys Scholarship) Program, accumulating fruitful results in international study work. Through each reception and every interaction, it conveys friendliness and inclusiveness. On June 5, the graduation ceremony for the American university student study tour to China, themed "Technology Empowers · Exploring China," from William Jessup University was successfully held at Dalian Maple Leaf College of Technology, marking the stage conclusion of the multi-day immersive study journey.

Technology Empowers · Exploring China

This study tour integrated cutting-edge vocational education practical training, intangible cultural heritage folk custom experiences, and local rural cultural immersion. The graduation ceremony systematically reviewed the entire study journey, using diverse forms including speeches and appointments, certificate conferment, cultural performances, and mutual gift exchanges to draw a perfect conclusion for the American students' study tour in China. At the opening of the ceremony, the audience collectively watched the college promotional video and the study documentary short film. The footage completely traced the moments of the American students' study at the college: from AI smart nursing practical training and high-speed rail and aviation simulation cabin visits, to sand bottle painting, Chinese tea ceremony, and Dragon Boat Festival sachet and zongzi handicrafts, and finally to cherry picking in the suburban orchards of Dalian. Each scene recorded the warm moments of cross-cultural study.

During the speech segment, Yang Jie, President of Dalian Maple Leaf College of Technology, took the stage to speak. Grounded in the overall situation of China-U.S. people-to-people friendly exchanges and combining the implementation results of the national initiative to invite 50,000 American young people to China for exchanges, he clarified that youth mutual communication is the key bond for solidifying friendly relations between the two countries. The college, relying on its eight industry colleges and the Continuing Education and International Cooperation and Exchange Center, continuously exports Chinese vocational education standards and deeply cultivates international education. He expressed his hope that all American students would become messengers of Chinese and foreign cultures and continuously maintain transoceanic friendship. Matthew Godshall, Ph.D., Associate Dean of the School of Leadership at William Jessup University, took the stage to express his gratitude, highly recognizing our college's meticulous study preparation work, and looking forward to the two universities continuously expanding long-term cooperation projects such as faculty and student mutual visits, joint education programs, and cross-border study tours.

A highlight of the event was the visiting professor appointment ceremony. Yang Ping, Chairperson of Xinyang Shengye, presented appointment certificates to Kevin Pischke, Vice President of William Jessup University, and Sun Yi, Associate Dean of the International College of William Jessup University. This appointment connected resources from multiple parties including universities and enterprises, breaking down barriers between industry and academic cooperation, and laying a solid foundation for subsequent joint scientific research, industry practical training, and international talent co-cultivation. Subsequently, Eilis, Group General Manager, announced the list of all graduating students. Chairperson Yang Ping conferred graduation certificates upon the American students, and President Yang Jie personally completed the solemn tassel-turning ceremony for each student, witnessing the students' study growth through this ritual. Student representative Celie took the stage to share her study reflections, recounting what she had seen, heard, and gained in China, her words filled with reluctance to part.

The cultural performance segment fully demonstrated the beauty of the integration of Eastern and Western cultures. International students from Maple Leaf Vocational College presented the group dance "One Heart, One Dance," interpreting the unity of hearts across the four seas through graceful dance movements. Students from William Jessup University brought characteristic cultural programs from their own country, showcasing exotic folk customs. Students from the Nursing Industry College performed the dance "Beautiful China," using body art to outline the magnificent scenery of Chinese mountains and rivers. Diverse arts collided on the same stage, vividly demonstrating the youthful vitality of Chinese and American youth.

。After the graduation ceremony concluded, the leadership of both parties conducted a special discussion and exchange meeting, engaging in in-depth consultations on core directions including China-U.S. cooperative education, long-term faculty and student mutual dispatch, joint international curriculum development, regularization of cross-border study tours, and the implementation of international industry-education integration projects. Both parties unanimously recognized the fruitful results of this study tour activity, fully affirmed the promoting role of youth exchanges in the cooperation between the two universities, conducted detailed communication on future cooperation details such as vocational education + international connection projects, short-term study boutique courses, two-way faculty training, and joint participation in international competitions, and reached multiple preliminary cooperation consensuses, building a solid framework for long-term and in-depth international cooperation between the two universities. At the end of the discussion, representatives from both universities and enterprises exchanged characteristic commemorative gifts, using tokens as a medium to deepen inter-university friendship and lay a good foundation for subsequent all-round cooperation.

This American university student study tour graduation activity represents a vivid practice of our college in implementing international education and promoting China-U.S. vocational education mutual communication. The college stated that in the future, it will continue to deeply cultivate the characteristic study model of technology empowerment + cultural exploration, relying on high-quality industry college resources, continuously building exchange platforms for Chinese and foreign youth, and constantly expanding new cross-border study projects, writing a new chapter of China-U.S. vocational education cooperation in the mutual appreciation of civilizations.