From teacher-student exchanges to student activities, he builds bridges of understanding through communication;
From the banks of the Huangpu River to the banks of the Seine, he listens to the symphony of cultures with inclusivity.
He weaves dreams with ideals; he explores directions through practice.
The encouragement of classmates is his driving force; the care of teachers helps him set sail.
As hundreds of boats strive forward and a thousand sails compete, on the verge of entering the graduate stage,
he wishes to make further progress with his peers,
to shine the glory of the collective of SPEIT students.
He is Chu Yunyi,
a graduate of the class of 2025 from the SJTU Paris Elite Institute of Technology (SPEIT),
and an Outstanding Graduate of Shanghai.
✦ Personal Profile
Profile
✦
Chu Yunyi
SPEIT
Class of 2025 Undergraduate Graduate
Major: Information Engineering
Graduation Plan: Direct Postgraduate Study at SJTU, Double Degree at Paris Sciences et Lettres Research University
Awards: Outstanding Graduate of Shanghai, SJTU Undergraduate Excellent Scholarship
✦ Growth Story
Growth Story
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Guanzi says, "The sea does not refuse water, so it can become great." Born in Shanghai, Chu Yunyi has been influenced by the city's spirit of "embracing all rivers" since childhood. During his childhood, the World Expo planted a seed of inclusivity and cultural exchange in his heart. Growing up in SPEIT, this seed quietly took root and sprouted. Starting with no French foundation and no competition experience, Chu Yunyi completed his undergraduate studies in four years. He dedicated himself to creating an atmosphere of mutual trust and friendly communication between teachers and students, and honed his language and communication skills in external activities, growing into a trusted communication expert. When talking about the honor of "Outstanding Graduate," he prefers to attribute it to the trust and support of teachers and classmates rather than personal efforts.
01
Diligent Pursuit: Communication Drives Change
Among many talented classmates, Chu Yunyi considers himself ordinary. When he first entered SJTU, the overwhelming academic work made him fall into self-doubt, and the ability gap among classmates made him feel inferior. In search of a foothold, he studied assiduously, never giving up on academic improvement, and simultaneously explored the original design intention of the engineering education system. Although his freshman grades were not outstanding, his eager and tireless attitude won the favor of teachers. In frequent teacher-student exchanges, the guidance of teachers benefited him a lot: in the context of French preparatory and engineering education, self-improvement is far more important than chasing scores and rankings.
After the challenges of the pandemic and years of edification, as the monitor of the administrative class and a trusted student representative, Chu Yunyi gradually became a bridge of communication between teachers and students, promoting information exchange in the college through feedback and empathy. Subtle improvements such as fine-tuning of courseware annotations and setting of chapter objectives in the teaching process embody the joint efforts of teachers and students. Over time, through continuous dialogue with teachers and classmates, he became clearer about his personal development direction and discovered and affirmed his own values and strengths.
Photo: Chu Yingyi and French Dean Zied Moumni
02
On and Off Stage: Courage Writes New Chapters
It took Chu Yunyi four years to move from behind the scenes to the spotlight. From being a volunteer in art galleries to the frontline of international competitions, he worked silently in volunteer services, contributing his part to the city's cultural and sports events. He participated in SJTU's Shanghai enrollment activities as a core member for four consecutive years and served as an assistant in the college's propaganda office. In his senior year, recommended by teachers, he stood under the spotlight, representing SJTU at the West Lake Higher Education Forum; soon after, he was elected as the president of the college student union, successively serving as the deputy director of the SJTU China-France Diplomatic Anniversary Concert, the host of the dialogue with the recipient of the French "Commander Medal," and the student general leader of the upcoming SJTU Global Challenge Program.
Chu Yunyi's growth has been a long accumulation. He believes his endowment is no match for his peers, so he often plans meticulously to live up to expectations. Although he also worries about being discouraged or insufficient, compared with the regret of missing opportunities, he prefers to seize the present, regarding each challenge as an experience and every possibility as a path. When he first met the French ambassador at a college event in his sophomore year, although he could not respond fluently, his initiative and enthusiasm deeply moved the foreign guests and teachers present. With courage and gratitude, Chu Yunyi will continue to chase his dreams with humility, live up to the support and recognition of teachers and classmates along the way, and bravely march toward a higher stage.
Photo: Serving as assistant director for the 2025 New Year's Eve Gala
03
Seeking Truth Through Seasons: Ideals Nourish the Heart
Reading carefully, Chu Yunyi's uniqueness becomes clear. In his four years of undergraduate study, he frankly admits that he is neither farsighted nor has made scientific research achievements, and most of what he has done is the duty of SPEIT students. Many people have asked him why he chose to run for president of the student union in his senior year and why he is persistent in student work. The answer lies in his belief.
Chu Yunyi once visited Paris as a member of a practical group and communicated with great scholars such as Mr. Joël Bellassen and Teacher Xu Bo. In the face of the world, Chu Yunyi felt his own smallness. A child growing up in the city lost his way in the tide of the times, and a youth exploring in the hustle and bustle found belonging in the crowd. He often says that it is the trust of teachers and classmates that has lifted him, and it is the joint effort of everyone that has made him who he is today. Individual strength is indeed like an ant shaking a tree, but what converges in him is the trust and enthusiasm of his SPEIT classmates, as well as the inclusiveness and support of all teachers. Individual efforts converge here like a river flowing into the sea. From concerts to cultural festivals, he and his team interpret SPEIT's inclusive and pluralistic cultural ecology through actions.
When running for members of the student union presidium, he said he wanted to strive again for "le bien de tous" (the common good). Because he has also experienced confusion and struggle, what he wants to achieve is "no one is left behind": there is more than one road to success, and your opportunities are more than what is in front of you. Chu Yunyi regards the honor of "Outstanding Graduate of Shanghai" as a symbol of "proving the way with his body"—this is not only a deep understanding and recognition of his philosophy by teachers but also confirms that university life, beyond excellent academic and scientific research achievements, has a broader world and possibilities. In his heart, everyone can become "the only flower in the world," with the right to make mistakes and explore the development path they desire.
In the 6.5-year life of SPEIT, undergraduate graduation symbolizes not only the end but also a new starting point. Carrying the desire to discover and understand the world, and bringing the trust and support of classmates and teachers, Chu Yunyi is about to set off for France to pursue a one-and-a-half-year double degree at MINES Paris, writing a new chapter in his life.
This article and the honor of Outstanding Graduate are dedicated to all relatives, friends, teachers, and classmates who have witnessed and accompanied Chu Yunyi throughout his four years of undergraduate study.
