NYU Shanghai to Present Honors to Zhou Wenzhong and Wang Shi

NYU Shanghai is delighted to announce the award of the Chancellors’ Medal of Honor to two distinguished individuals, senior Chinese diplomat Zhou Wenzhong and real estate magnate Wang Shi. Both honorees will speak at the university’s first commencement ceremony, to take place on Sunday, May 28th at the Shanghai Oriental Arts Center starting at 2 pm.

The inaugural commencement ceremony, designed to reflect the academic traditions of both Chinese universities and NYU’s commencement at Yankee Stadium, will also feature the message from the Chancellors and the President of New York University in addition to this year’s two recipients of the Chancellors’ Medal of Honor.

Zhou Wenzhong, Secretary-General of the Boao Forum for Asia and Vice President of the China-US People's Friendship Association, has held leading posts at the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. After serving as deputy director of the American Affairs Department for a number of years and later as ambassador to Australia, Zhou was named Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs in 2001. Two years later, he became China’s Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs. Zhou, who served as ambassador of China to the United States from 2005 to 2010, promoted greater cultural and education cooperation between China and the United States and played an inspiring role in the establishment of NYU Shanghai.

Wang Shi, chairman of China's real estate giant Vanke Co Ltd, founded the company in 1984. Under his leadership, Vanke has grown into the world’s largest residential home developer by sales revenue. Outside of the office, Wang is also an avid adventurer and mountaineer, who summited Mount Everest from the North and South faces in 2003 and 2010 respectively. He is the eleventh person in the world to accomplish “7+2” -- reaching the Seven Summits in 2004 and the North and South Poles in 2005. Wang, who is definitely no stranger to NYU Shanghai, had the opportunity to meet with many students in the pioneering Class of 2017 during a visit to campus in the fall of 2013.

The NYU Shanghai Medal of Honor is bestowed to an individual who has, through the many dimensions of their life, exemplified the values that our university cherishes.