Recently, the results of the “Chinese College Students Stars of Self-improvement” for 2019 jointly launched by the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League, All-China Students’ Federation, China Youth Daily and New Oriental Education & Technology Group were announced. Two students, Wang Yu and Yang Qing, who are typical representatives of self-improvement of our university, were awarded “The Chinese College Students Star of Self-improvement” and won the “New Oriental Scholarship for Self-improvement of Chinese College Students”.

Wang Yu, a 2019 Ph.D. student majoring in forestry in the College of Wildlife and Protected Area, is a master of scientific research. He has participated in many national and provincial fund projects, published 24 SCI papers as the first author and co-first author, and participated in the creation and publication of two Chinese core journal papers. He also won the National Scholarship for Postgraduate Students, Liang Xi Outstanding Student Award, the titles of Top Ten Graduates of Forestry in China, Merit Students in Heilongjiang Province, University “Youth May Fourth Medal”, Outstanding Postgraduates, Outstanding Postgraduate Cadres, Model Cadres of the Communist Youth League, Outstanding Graduates, Outstanding Volunteers and other honors. As a NEFUer devoted to scientific research, he always upholds the spirit of the NEFU motto—“Learn from Nature, Strive for Harmony” and bravely marched forward on the road of scientific research.

Yang Qing, a 2019 graduate student majoring in design in Material Science and Engineering College, actively responded to the call of the party and the state, joined the army in 2016, left the army and resumed studies in September 2018, and passed the postgraduate recommendation to NEFU in the same month. When she served in the army, she always kept in mind the fine tradition of “Not afraid of hardship and fatigue”, faced up to difficulties and dared to challenge, so she was awarded the title of “Excellent Compulsory Serviceman”, the first prize of the story contest of “Carrying Forward the Revolutionary Tradition & Striving for Greater Glory”, the second prize of the speech contest of “Being a Successor of Lei Feng in the New Era & Becoming a Brave Soldier Who Can Fight” and other awards. After returning to school, she also won many University Scholarships, the titles of Outstanding Volunteers, Outstanding League Members, obtained the third-grade certificate of National Furniture Designer, and participated in conscription propaganda at the national, provincial, municipal and school levels for many times. In addition, during the epidemic, together with hundreds of millions of young people, she worked as anti-epidemic volunteers in her hometown communities.

In July this year, our university launched the recommendation and registration, and a total of 13 undergraduates, postgraduates and doctoral students participated in the selection. Through publicity and mobilization, organization of registration, school level search, and evaluation by the jury, 10 students including Wang Yu (College of Wildlife and Protected Area), Wang Chaowei (School of Civil Engineering), Didal·Tuerxun (College of Foreign Language), Liu Tianyi (School of Forestry), Xu Xiaoyue (College of Economics and Management), Yang Xioalong (School of Traffic and Transportation), Yang Qing (Material Science and Engineering College), Wang Jiaqi (School of Information and Computer Engineering), Zhang Junhua (College of Science), Zhao Dan (School of Marxism) were selected as the final candidates of The Star of Self-improvement of College Students in NEFU and was recommended to participate in the provincial and national selection.

It is reported that this activity, with the theme of “Youth, Self-improvement, Strength and Courage”, has been paid close attention by teachers and students of colleges and universities since its launch. Searching for young people’s role models and carrying forward the spirit of self-improvement set off an upsurge of “all schools have, and everyone can be a star of self-improvement”. The selection of this award aims to set up a group of amiable, respectable, credible and learnable models with good ideological and political quality, excellent academic performance, good conduct, self-reliance, optimism and outstanding deeds among contemporary college students. In the past 13 years, one student in our university has been awarded the “Pacemaker of the Chinese College Students Stars of Self-improvement”, five have been awarded “The Chinese College Students Stars of Self-improvement”, and 21 have won the “Award Nomination of the Chinese College Students Stars of Self-improvement”.