Commencement 2025: 27 Global Business Journalism grads celebrate master's degrees at joyous ceremony
- Bakhtawar Tauseef
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
By BAKHTAWAR TAUSEEF
Global Business Journalism reporter
Twenty-seven students from eight nations celebrated their successful completion of the Global Business Journalism program on June 20 in a joyous event at the Tsinghua School of Journalism and Communication.
The 2025 commencement celebration marked the graduation of 18 Chinese and nine international students from seven countries. The event recognized not only the graduates but also long-time contributors to the program including co-director Rick Dunham, who is entering semi-retirement at the end of the 2025 fall semester after more than 12 years of service.
Dean Zhou Qing’an opened his remarks by congratulating the graduating class by highlighting their persistence through a period of uncertainty brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite being the smallest international graduating class in the program’s 18-year history, he described the group as one of the most resilient.
He thanked faculty members from China and abroad, and acknowledged the program’s partnership with Bloomberg News, which continues to provide professional support through training, resources, mentorships and the ever-present role of GBJ professor Lee Miller.
This year’s graduation had additional meaning, as it the last commencement Professor Dunham will attend in his current leadership role. He received a special tribute from the journalism school in the form of a GBJ Media Award for the Lifetime Achievement and Contribution. In a speech, he offered practical lessons learned during his journalism career, including the importance of asking questions, accepting feedback, and being loyal to those who support you.
John Liu, Executive Editor for Greater China at Bloomberg News, shared his own career journey with the students. He spoke about starting his career with no clear plan as he worked as an English teacher in Shanghai before landing his first journalism job at Interfax, a Russian news agency. He credited his success to a well-written sample article he submitted with his job application.
“That one writing sample changed everything,” he said, encouraging students to take opportunities seriously and always submit their best work.
The ceremony also featured remarks from alumna Jing Shuiyu, who graduated from the GBJ program in 2016 and now works at Bloomberg after a stint at China Daily. She spoke about how her own career developed in ways she didn’t expect and advised students to focus on meaningful work and not just on career titles.
“Your degree gives you options,” she said. “But the values you carry are just as important as the skills.”
Student representative Corazon Scheppy of the United States reflected on her time at Tsinghua, which included four years of undergraduate education and two years in GBJ. She shared memories from student life and expressing appreciation for the close friendships built within the small GBJ cohort. She said the diverse environment taught her the importance of listening and connecting across cultures and skills she believes are essential in journalism and beyond.
During the ceremony, several students were recognized for their achievements. Christina Yang of the United States and Hannan Gillani of Pakistan received the best thesis award. Yang was honored for her academic analysis of audience segmentation in English language Chinese business media. Gillani's professional journalism portfolio examined the efforts of China's automakers to improve their standing in the Pakistani market. He was chosen as the international student representative to speak at the Tsinghua School of Journalism and Communication commencement ceremony, which immediately preceded the GBJ celebration.
Vicki Chalermlapvoraboon of Thailand won an award for exceptional service to the GBJ program and the journalism school's international office, including work on the GBJ newsletter and assistance with events.
At the June 22 Tsinghua University graduation ceremony, GBJ's Shirley Chen of Canada received a university-wide award for her outstanding portfolio of journalism stories revealing some of the unreal aspects of reality dating shows in China.
Diplomas were awarded by faculty and visiting journalists, including Professors Cary O’Reilly, Pam Tobey and Hang Ming, and Bloomberg's John Liu.
The event closed with final remarks from Professor Dunham, who thanked the class for their effort and spirit throughout their time in the program. He encouraged them to stay in touch, return to Tsinghua as alumni, and continue growing as professionals.
The GBJ program, launched in 2007, continues to serve as a bridge between journalism education in China and global media practices. With support from Bloomberg and faculty from around the world, the program has trained hundreds of journalists now working in newsrooms, companies, and institutions across the globe. The International Center for Journalists is the program's managing partner.
