Xue Yifan receives interview after the graduation ceremony of bachelor degree at Peking University on July 1, 2014. (Beijing News/Zhou Gangfeng) |
Xue Yifan was the only student in the major of paleontology at the Yuanpei Institute of Peking University. She received her bachelor degree and attended the graduation ceremony at Peking University on Tuesday morning.
"Paleontology is a little special in Peking University. There's only one student in almost every year, and in some years there are none," said Lu Xiaodong, vice president of Yuanpei Institute.
"This paleontology major with only one student may be unique in China," said Wang Enge, president of Peking University during his speech at the graduation ceremony. "Whatever the major is, popular or unpopular, if the students can learn to be good at something and grow up happily, that will be the greatest satisfaction for us."
Xue Yifan told to the reporter during the interview that she had not expected to be mentioned by the president during his speech. She was moved by the encouragement from Wang. "I just love paleontology," she said. "I came to Peking University just to study paleontology. I made up my mind when I was in second year in the high school."
At the end of July Xue will continue her studies at Carnegie Mellon University in the U.S..
As the only graduate in paleontology major in Peking University, Xue has become a popular figure on the internet.
This article is edited and translated from 北大“一人专业”学生:校长亲问其去向,Source: Beijing News
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