Welcome, Class of 2021!

This weekend, NYU Shanghai welcomes 345 new students hailing from 47 countries. The Class of 2021, the University's largest to date, will arrive in Shanghai on Friday to begin their exciting journey.

The Class of 2021 Orientation is the first to take place since the graduation of NYU Shanghai’s pioneering Class of 2017. As such, it also marks the beginning of the next phase in the institution’s evolution as the first Sino-US research university offering a comprehensive undergraduate liberal arts education in China.

The theme of this year’s Orientation Week is ‘Chess’ 棋 (qí), the second form of the Four Arts (qín qí shū huà) in Chinese traditions, which are considered the true characteristics of a Chinese scholar.

“NYU Shanghai is a community where students are encouraged to learn, discover, and cultivate their talents. It is for this reason that we chose to use the Four Arts as the theme of NYU Shanghai's Orientation for four years,” said Shelly Lu, Assistant Director of New Student Program & Diversity Program.

Orientation Week kicks off with Friday’s move-in day. Over the next week, Student Life will host a variety of events, including advising sessions, student panels as well as a specially designed board game that encapsulates all university resources that freshmen need to know.

Parents can also participate in a Q&A panel that seeks to address their immediate concerns. The whole Orientation will culminate into a Masquerade on Saturday, September 2, with freshmen donning self-designed masks that reflect their cultures and identities.

“Incoming freshmen will be also surprised by a series of special activities we have this year that will better familiarize them with their peers, upper-class students, staff and faculty,” said Tyler Rhorick, an Associate in New Student Programs.

New students will get the chance to hear from and mingle with some of their predecessors - Sherry Zhuang, Yin Shengjia, Meizhi Ng and Veronica Hernandez among others. They will also meet with Alumni of the Class of 2017, who will be on hand to offer insights about their NYU Shanghai experiences.

Students can also register for a casual lunch talk with 24 NYU Shanghai faculty members from majors including Interactive Media Arts, Business, Social Science and Computer Science, to have a better understanding of academic life.

One of the week’s final events is “Peer Camp,” where new and current students can choose to take part in off-campus community service events or learn the ropes of living in Shanghai, from survival Chinese, how to use AliPay, eating healthy in the city, to other cultural tips.

“We are looking forward to the unique contributions the Class of 2021 will bring to our vibrant and exciting community,” said Charlene Visconti, Dean of Students.

Check out some happy faces captured during Friday’s Move-In Day and learn more about the Orientation Week schedule.