Good morning everyone.

My name is Neima Ait Lahcine, and I am honored to stand before you here as a representative of the graduating Class of 2026.

Several years ago, I left Morocco and came to Shenzhen to study Biomedical Engineering at SUSTech. At the time, I could not have imagined how much this journey would change me.

I came here hoping to gain knowledge and build a future, but I leave with much more than a degree. I leave with experiences, friendships, lessons, and memories that will stay with me for a lifetime.

When I first arrived in Shenzhen, everything felt unfamiliar.

I was adapting to a new culture, a new environment, and a completely different way of life. Like many international students, I had to learn how to build a home away from home while keeping up with the challenges of university life.

Looking back, I realize that those experiences helped me become more independent, resilient, and confident.As I look at my fellow graduates today, I know that although our journeys were different, we all share something in common: We arrived here with dreams, faced challenges along the way, and somehow made it to this moment together.

First, I would like to thank our families, friends, professors, and everyone who supported us throughout this journey.

I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to my supervisor, Dr. Liu Chao.

When I began my thesis project, I thought research was about finding answers. I quickly learned that it was often about finding mistakes first. There were times when I submitted drafts that came back covered in comments, corrections, and suggestions. Sometimes I would look at the pages and wonder how I had managed to miss so many details.

Yet every time, Dr. Liu patiently sat down with me, explained what needed to be improved, and encouraged me to try again. What impressed me most was not only his knowledge, but his kindness.He never made mistakes feel like failures.  Instead, he treated them as part of the learning process.

That experience changed the way I view both education and growth. I learned that great teachers do more than share knowledge—they give students the confidence to keep going when they doubt themselves.

For that, I will always be grateful.

My experience at SUSTech reflects that same spirit.

Beyond classrooms and laboratories, this university gave me opportunities to grow in ways I never expected.It challenged me academically, introduced me to people from different backgrounds, and helped me discover strengths that I did not know I had.

When I arrived in Shenzhen, I was entering an unfamiliar city and a completely new chapter of my life. Today, I leave with not only a degree, but also friendships, experiences, and lessons that will stay with me wherever I go.

During my years at SUSTech, I spent countless hours attending lectures, working on projects, conducting research, preparing presentations, and learning from both successes and failures.Like many students, I experienced moments when things did not go according to plan.

Experiments failed.

Deadlines felt impossible.

Results were not always what I expected.

But looking back, I realize that some of the most important lessons came from those moments.

Today, as I stand here, I do not just see graduates.

I see years of hard work, determination, and perseverance.

I see classmates who stayed up late to finish assignments, worked through difficult courses, supported one another, and continued moving forward even when things felt overwhelming.

When we first started university, many of us believed success would look like a straight line. We imagined that hard work would always lead directly to results.But university teaches us something different.

Growth is rarely linear.

Some of our most important lessons come from setbacks, mistakes, unexpected challenges, and moments when we question our own abilities.

There were times when I felt behind.

Times when I doubted myself.

Times when I wondered whether I was capable enough.

But over the years, I learned something important: confidence does not come from never struggling. Confidence comes from continuing despite the struggle.

The people graduating today are not here because everything was easy.

We are here because we kept going.

We kept going when the workload felt overwhelming.

We kept going when things did not go according to plan.

We kept going when we doubted ourselves.

And every challenge taught us something that no textbook ever could.

Some of us arrived here carrying challenges that nobody else could see.

Some of us fought battles in silence while still showing up every day.

And yet, here we are today.

To anyone who feels that they are not the smartest person in the room, not the most confident, or not the most talented, I want to tell you this: You do not have to be extraordinary every single day to achieve extraordinary things. Sometimes, all you need to do is take the next step.

One assignment at a time.

One challenge at a time.

One day at a time.

And eventually, you will look back and realize that those small steps carried you farther than you ever imagined.

As we begin the next chapter of our lives, we will all follow different paths. Some of us will continue our studies, some will begin new careers, and some will still be discovering where they belong. Whatever path we choose, I hope we carry with us the resilience, curiosity, and determination that brought us here today.

To our families, thank you for your sacrifices and unwavering support.

To our professors and mentors, thank you for believing in us and helping us grow.

And to my fellow graduates, thank you for the memories, friendships, and experiences that made this journey unforgettable.

Congratulations, Class of 2026. 

We made it！

Thank you.