On May 18, Ms. Elaine L. Chao, former U.S.A. Secretary of Labor, paid a visit to Shanghai Jiao Tong University together with her family members, including her father, SJTU alumni Dr. Chao Xicheng, and gladly accepted honorary doctorate conferred by SJTU. President Academician Zhang Jie met with them. Ms. Elaine Chao delivered an address to SJTU-ers at the ceremony, sharing her growing-up experience and encouraging the students to carry forward the fine tradition of the Chinese nation. SJTU deputy Party secretary Xu Fei presided over the ceremony.

The 6^th visited to SJTU, Ms. Chao said, “It’s a moment worthy of remembering and cherishing forever!”

The delegation led by the Chaos was given a hearty welcome. It is the sixth time that Ms. and Dr. Chao have visited SJTU, but this time her sisters Ms. Chao Xiaoting, Ms. Chao Anji and some other family members came along. Obviously the Chaos have a deep affection for SJTU.

Ms. Chao visited SJTU with her parents as early as 1981, and has been closely connected with the university ever since. The Mulan building of School of Naval Architecture, Ocean and Civil Engineering on Minhang campus was named after her mother Ms. Chao Zhu Mulan.

Ms. Elaine L. Chao is an eminent woman. During the presidency of former US president George W. Bush from 2001 to 2009, she was the Secretary of the United States Labor, the first Asian female ever that had entered the cabinet, marking a new page in the US history. Her term of service was eight years, the longest for US labor secretaries after the World War II, and she is the only cabinet member reappointed consecutively during the presidency of Bush. Before she became labor secretary, she had been deputy head of the Maritime Administration of the US Department of Transportation, and president of the US Federal Maritime Commission from 1988 to 1989. US former president George H. W. Bush appointed her as deputy transportation secretary in 1989. From 1991 to 1992, she was president of the United States Peace Corps, laying the foundation for the peace corps in China. She took up President and CEO of the United Way of America in 1992, and was selected distinguished scholar by the famous think tank — the Heritage Foundation in 1996.

SJTU president Academician Zhang Jie conferred the honorary doctorate on Ms. Zhao in the lecture hall of Mulan building after Prof. Hu Wei, dean of SJTU School of International and Public Affairs, had pronounced the eulogy on her. Gladly accepting the honor from her father’s alma mater, Ms. Chao becomes the 6^th honorary doctor in the history of SJTU.

The academicals added glamor to Ms. Chao who was applauded and congratulated by the attendee. She expressed her heartfelt thanks to SJTU by saying that “ It’s a moment worthy of remembering and cherishing forever!”

In the following section of Q & A, Ms. Chao talked with students cheerfully and humorously. She encouraged students to keep self-confident and optimistic, to learn from the cream of the China’s five thousand years of history, to be sincere. Therefore, they can bridge the China-US communication, and make contributions to their families and the society.