Dear President, esteemed faculty, distinguished guests, and my fellow students, 

My name is Ekaterina Safarova. I am a first-year PhD student in the School of Medicine.It is a tremendous honor to stand before you today, speaking on behalf of the new graduate students. Thank you for this privilege. 

Today is a day of new beginnings for all of us.  The start of our pursuit of profound knowledge, unique academic and practical experiences, new discoveries, and of course, new friendships. For many international students, myself included, this is the start of a whole new chapter in our lives. And I am certain that life here at SUSTech will be incredibly exciting and fulfilling. 

I arrived in Shenzhen one year ago, after completing my master's degree in Biotechnology in my home country, Russia. My goal was to immerse myself in the Chinese language and to understand the culture and traditions of China. And despite the city's famous heat and humidity, I found myself feeling more at home with each passing day. Maybe the secret is that you can get anything delivered in just 20 minutes, and the fact that the concept of a 'small portion'  doesn't exist here. Clear signs of a culture that truly knows how to take care of its people. 

But all jokes aside, I knew this city was home to one of the leading research universities, a true incubator for scientists and innovators. 

And now, I am here. I consider it a great fortune that the stars aligned, allowing me to personally visit the Institute of Advanced Biotechnology before my admission and to meet with the Dean of the Department Professor Zhu, and Dr. Lyu. It was incredibly inspiring to see that the department's leadership and members, with their vast experience, were genuinely interested in my potential. And when I saw those modern, pristine white laboratories, I could immediately imagine the thrill of conducting my experiments there. 

So, you can imagine my pride and excitement when I received not just an admission letter, but also the news that I had been awarded the Chinese Government Scholarship.And I am especially proud to be among the first cohort of students to receive it at SUSTech. 

I am confident that SUSTech offers us everything we need to succeed: comprehensive support, a world-class education focused on our future, cutting-edge equipment, and of course, a stunningly beautiful campus. 

In conclusion, I want to wish all of us, the new students, the courage to never shy away from challenges. Yes, it will be difficult. Yes, some things will seem unclear. But the hardest step—the decision to come here and be admitted—is already behind us. My fellow international students will certainly understand what I mean. 

May the days ahead be bright, enriching, and productive for all of us! Let's strive for new discoveries together! 

同学们，加油！感谢！