On the afternoon of May 20th, Boston University held the145th graduation ceremony. Zhang Yimou, an internationally renowned director, personally attended the ceremony and accepted the honorary doctorate in humanities. Congressman John Lewis, a pioneer of American civil rights movement, delivered a keynote speech and was awarded an honorary doctorate in law.

More than 7,000 Boston University graduates and 25,000 spectators gathered at Nixon Stadium to witness the biggest graduation ceremony in New England.

At the graduation ceremony, Robert A. Brown, President of Boston University, and Xiong Xiaoge, President of Boston University and Vice President of IDG Worldwide, awarded Zhang Yimou degrees. Some of Zhang Yimou's works and fragments of the opening ceremony were shown on the big screen, which attracted cheers and applause.

When Boston University announced earlier that Zhang Yimou would attend the graduation ceremony, it caused a heated discussion among international students. Many foreign students from China in Boston University said that they were honored to be "alumni" with Zhang Yimou, and praised the school for recognizing director China's achievements. Many fresh graduates also said at the ceremony that they were very happy to witness the moment when Zhang Yimou was awarded the honorary degree.

Zhang Yimou, who has won many international film festival awards, is one of the representatives of the "fifth generation directors" of China films. Many of his high-quality films and the opening and closing ceremonies of the Beijing Olympic Games made him famous overseas. At the end of 2008, Boston University offered to award Zhang Yimou an honorary doctorate, but he was unable to attend the school graduation ceremony the following year for some reason.