Yang Xiaohan, who was part of the graduating cohort, says that she is grateful to the university for providing an inclusive, international environment for her to learn.

The 22-year-old, who took a dual degree in finance and data science, adds that she was actively involved in nonprofit public welfare activities offered by NYU Shanghai.

She cites an example, saying that she taught English to children at primary schools in remote areas in Sichuan and Henan provinces through a long-distance video teaching system.

And, during the Deans' Service Scholars Program, in which participants work as volunteers to examine the social issues affecting the communities in China or Southeast Asia, she helped to plant trees in rural areas in Yunnan province so as to create a habitat for golden monkeys.

"It gave me access to a different world, where children are left at home with little care and nurturing because their parents have to work in other cities," she says.

To address this issue, Yang in 2017 established a nonprofit organization named FutureChina to improve education in impoverished parts of China through live-video teaching and development courses. The organization currently has more than 100 volunteers.

After graduation, she says, she will work at the Institution of New Economic Development in Chengdu, Sichuan province, to research the topic of gender equality through data analysis.

Zhao Xuehan, a graduate in world history, lauded the rich resources and options students have at NYU Shanghai.

Zhao was one of the 68 graduates selected to be part of the Knight-Hennessy Scholars Program. She will be pursuing a master's degree in East Asian studies.

"I'll continue researching the relationship and history of China and Japan," Zhao says.

"This is an area I've been fond of since my junior year at NYU Shanghai when I attended an international exchange program jointly held by the university and Waseda University in Japan."

caochen@chinadaily.com.cn