Badminton Star Lin Chun-yi Addresses National Sun Yat-sen University Graduation; Encourages Graduates to 'Slowly Become Better'

National Sun Yat-sen University held its 2026 graduation ceremony today, inviting national badminton player Lin Chun-yi to speak. Sharing his journey from low points to winning championships, he encouraged graduates, saying, 'There is no need to rush to prove yourself, and no need to fear moving slowly. Just slowly become a better version of yourself.' Lin, the first Taiwanese winner of the All England Open men's singles, used his own story to inspire the graduates. He shared that he only started playing badminton in elementary school and never imagined standing on the world stage. His career was not always smooth, and he even missed out on Olympic qualification. 'During my low points, I also doubted whether my efforts had any meaning.' Lin said, 'Growth is never achieved overnight; it is the accumulation of countless choices not to give up. You may not be able to fully control the results, but you can choose the process.' Lin urged graduates not to forget to enjoy the scenery along the way while chasing their goals. 'Focus on doing today's work well; you don't need to be someone else, just slowly become a better version of yourself.' According to the university, there were 3,705 graduates this year, including the university's first doctoral graduate from Palau, Vicente Gadngay Abedneko, who was congratulated by the Palauan representative to Taiwan, David Adams Orrukem. Also honored was Zhou Zhao-ji, the oldest doctoral graduate in the history of the Department of Chinese Literature at age 86. Zhou, who previously served as the chair of the Department of Electrical Engineering at the university and the first director of the preparatory office for the National Science and Technology Museum, returned to campus after retirement to pursue a doctorate in Chinese literature, embodying the spirit of lifelong learning. University President Lee Chih-peng stated, 'Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly changing the world. Future challenges are no longer just about competition between humans and machines, but about how to utilize technology and co-create value with AI.' He encouraged graduates to continue refining their professional skills, cultivate the ability to collaborate with technology, and maintain their focus to carve out their own paths in a rapidly changing era.