Jeonbuk National University (JBNU)'s degree conferment ceremony for the first semester of the 2021 academic year was held on February 22 at 10:00 a.m. in Jinsudang Ga-in Hall.

With attendance limited to President Kim Dong-won, university headquarters officials, Jeong Young-taek, President of the JBNU Alumni Association, and degree conferral representatives, degrees were conferred on 3,112 bachelor's degree recipients, 591 master's degree recipients, and 138 doctoral degree recipients.

Also, 172 students, including Lee Nam-ho (College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Veterinary Medicine), were selected as outstanding graduates; 20 students, including Choi Min-ah (College of Humanities, Department of History), received the Core Talent Award. In addition, 35 individuals, including Dr. Kim Do-won (Department of Mechanical Engineering), received the Outstanding Research Award.

This year's first-semester ceremony was scaled down due to the spread of the Omicron variant and the entire event was broadcast live online. To ease students' disappointment, the university set up photo zones across campus — including Geonji Square, the library, and in front of Jinsudang — so they could preserve memories.

Graduates and their families rented academic gowns from their respective colleges and gathered in small groups with family and relatives to take photographs, sharing the joy and bittersweet feelings of graduation.

President Kim Dong-won urged the graduates to confront the unavoidable changes of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the post-COVID era with confidence.

President Kim said, "If we cannot avoid the monumental changes of the post-COVID era and the Fourth Industrial Revolution, we must confront them with confidence. Keep the mindset you had at the beginning, and in all circumstances proceed with the steadfastness of a river flowing to the sea, and like a tree that benefits its surroundings more as it matures."

He added, "JBNU will transform into a platform university that cultivates world-class and unicorn companies in our region, which has a weak industrial base. Please join us on the path toward a substantial university and a warm journey together."