Honouring Wellington College China’s exceptional 2023 graduates

26 Jun 2023

As we approach the end of the 2022-23 academic year, our graduating classes from Wellington Tianjin and Wellington Shanghai are eagerly anticipating the next steps they will take on their life journeys. This year’s graduates are a unique cohort. Their exam years were bookended by the sudden onslaught and eventual retreat of a global pandemic. In the years in between, they contended with postponements, lockdowns and a host of other disruptions — as if studying for their IGCSEs, A levels and IB exams were not challenging enough!

Class of 2023

Wellington College Tianjin

Class of 2023

Despite these challenges, it was a banner year for our 2023 graduates at both schools. As early as February, they began receiving offer letters from Cambridge, Oxford, California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and Imperial College London. Not long after, offers came in from world-renowned schools like University College London, the University of Pennsylvania, Cornell, Johns Hopkins, University of California Berkeley, New York University, the London School of Economics and Political Science, Brown, University of the Arts London, Parsons and so many more. Four of these schools are among the top-10 ranked UK and US institutions of higher learning (QS World Rankings 2023).

Wellington College International Shanghai

Class of 2023

This coming fall, our 2023 graduates will commence their studies in an awe-inspiring variety of disciplines that speaks of our holistic education model: chemistry, education, dance, mechanical engineering, jewellery design, English literature, biomedical technology, art, psychology, hospitality, architecture and hospitality management to name just a few.

During their time at Wellington, we watched them learn and grow as they unlocked their potential. They expanded their horizons, exploring new bodies of knowledge, discovering new passions, cultivating new talents, and acquiring the skills that will ensure their success after Wellington. More importantly, they did all of this while living the Wellington Values of Courage, Respect, Integrity, Kindness and Responsibility.

Here are four exemplary Wellington College China pupils who will be going on to do great things after graduation.

YiAn

Wellington College Tianjin

YiAn has spent over seven years studying at Wellington College Tianjin, and her favourite aspect of the school is its wide range of activities, including sports. YiAn chose to attend the University of Southern California (USC), despite receiving offers from the University College London (UCL), London School of Economics and Political Science and the University of California, Irvine. She was drawn to USC because it offers multiple majors that she wishes to pursue and explore, including her strong desire to study law in the future. What YiAn will miss most about Wellington is the close-knit community.

Yuchen

Wellington College Tianjin

Yuchen is deeply passionate about mechanical engineering, as it underpins many fields, including the manufacture of electronic devices, automobiles and aerospace engineering. After studying at Wellington College Tianjin for three years, he received offers to study mechanical engineering at Imperial College London, as well as from the University of Edinburgh, University of Manchester, and University of Bristol. Since mechanical engineering courses require both theoretical knowledge and practical operation, Yuchen intends to gain further internship experience during his university studies in various enterprises. His ultimate goal is to make a meaningful impact on society using this knowledge. In his next chapter, he aims to follow his favourite motto, "The hillside is too crowded. Go to the top of the mountain and have a look."

Zoe

Wellington College International Shanghai

Zoe is fascinated by people and has a passion for understanding human behaviour. The University of Virginia (UVA) recognised her talent and offered her a place to study psychology. In her time at Wellington, she pursued her passion for music, playing the tenor saxophone. She also proved to be quite the self-starter and leader when she organised and hosted a TEDx event with her fellow pupils. When asked what her favourite thing about being a Wellingtonian is, she answered without hesitation, “I love how there are no barriers between year groups. I think everyone will agree that we all have friends from other years (I even have friends from year 3!) I think this is something very special about Wellington.” This energy and enthusiasm will serve Zoe in her chosen career path of education or counselling.

Skye

Wellington College International Shanghai

Skye found her artistic voice at Wellington College International Shanghai. Her passion and talent for the visual arts drove her to develop a comprehensive portfolio that ultimately earned her a place at the renowned Parsons School of Design in New York City. She credits much of her success to her Wellington experience. “I have learned and embraced cultures from everywhere around the world,” she says. “As I experienced many social interactions through meetings and collaborations, I learned to appreciate the diversity of ideas and to communicate openly and effectively.”

…And they are just four pupils from two highly impressive graduating classes this year.

To our 2023 graduates:

We wish you all the best as you open this new chapter in your lives. We hope you pursue your passions, actualise your full potential and make a positive difference in the world! The future is yours to shape. And remember:

Once a Wellingtonian, always a Wellingtonian.

Best wishes,

Wellington College China