Together Toward Infinite Possibilities: NYCU Celebrates the Class of 2026

(中央社訊息服務20260617 15:50:15)National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) celebrated the graduation of 5,163 students on June 12, marking a historic milestone as graduates from the university’s Yangming and Chiaotung campuses gathered for a unified commencement ceremony for the first time.

Centered on the theme of the Möbius Strip, this year’s commencement symbolized infinite possibilities and the power of connection. The mathematical structure’s continuous surface reflected a message that resonated throughout the ceremony: while every graduate follows a different path, meaningful achievements are often shaped by the people, communities, and opportunities encountered along the way.

Among this year’s graduates was Ai-Tzu Zhang, who entered NYCU through the university’s Pu-Yu Program (now the Tun-Meng Program), an initiative designed to support students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Six years later, she was selected to lead the graduation oath on behalf of the Class of 2026.

Motivated by the lack of medication literacy she observed in her family and community, Zhang pursued a career in pharmacy with a mission to make healthcare knowledge more accessible. During her studies, she participated in outreach programs promoting medication safety and health education in rural communities and schools.

Before graduation, she also traveled to Australia through a Ministry of Education initiative to learn community-based approaches to health literacy. “Medicines expire, but education does not,” Zhang said. “Through education and perseverance, everyone can travel farther than they ever imagined.”

The ceremony also reflected NYCU’s growing international community. Speaking on behalf of international graduates, Nguyen Hong Minh Chau of Vietnam reflected on adapting to life and graduate studies in Taiwan. At the same time, Sharon Tang of Malaysia described NYCU as a place that encouraged curiosity, exploration, and cross-border opportunities. Their experiences highlighted how students from different cultures and backgrounds found friendship, opportunity, and a sense of belonging during their time at NYCU.

The journeys depicted onstage reflected a broader theme shared by many members of the Class of 2026: some of the most meaningful lessons at NYCU occurred beyond the classroom.

Whether through community engagement, international exchanges, research projects, clinical training, or cross-cultural friendships, students learned to navigate uncertainty, broaden their perspectives, and apply knowledge to real-world challenges. For many graduates, education was not simply about earning a degree, but about discovering how they could contribute to society.

That message was echoed by commencement speaker Ray Lu, CEO of the Junyi Academy Foundation, whose address was titled “Three Pieces of Bad News That Changed My Life.”

Drawing on personal experiences of uncertainty and unexpected setbacks, Lu encouraged graduates to view challenges not as barriers, but as opportunities for growth.

“Some bad news may look like a period at first,” he said. “Years later, we realize it was actually a colon—introducing a more important story still waiting to be written.” He urged graduates to transform limitations into possibilities and contribute something meaningful to the world around them.

As graduates tossed their caps into the air, the Möbius Strip that defined this year’s commencement served as a fitting symbol of the journeys ahead.

Like the stories represented throughout the ceremony, its continuous surface suggests that learning, growth, and human connection rarely move in straight lines. Instead, they evolve through unexpected encounters, shared experiences, and new opportunities.

For NYCU’s Class of 2026, graduation marks the next turn in a journey that began long before commencement day. Their paths may lead to different places, but the values cultivated at NYCU—curiosity, resilience, collaboration, and a commitment to creating positive impact—will continue to connect them long after they leave campus.