The Fall 2017 Entrance Ceremony was held on Friday, September 15, at the West School Building Hall on Mita Campus for new students of both the undergraduate faculties and graduate schools.
This fall, a total of 350 new undergraduate students enrolled: 119 at the Faculty of Economics; 1 at the Faculty of Law; 44 at the Faculty of Policy Management; 46 at the Faculty of Environment and Information Studies; and 140 in the Japanese Language Program. Of the 234 students entering the graduate schools, there are 155 in master’s programs, 63 in doctoral programs, and 16 in the professional degree program. The hall was filled to capacity, and included many international students such as those of the Japanese Language Program and PEARL (Programme in Economics for Alliances, Research and Leadership), the 4-year all-English degree program at the Faculty of Economics.
At the ceremony, Provost Tojiro Aoyama gave the incoming class report, which was followed by a welcome address by President Akira Haseyama. In his speech, President Haseyama encouraged the new students to gain independence and self-respect through their learning experiences at Keio University—that is, not being easily influenced by current trends and the opinions of others, identifying the true nature of things, making one’s own judgements, and acting on one’s own decisions. In addition, he told international students to also learn about the history of Keio University and Japanese culture, and by interacting with various people, overcome differences among cultures through peaceful measures that are grounded on scholarship.
Next, Professor Taro Ozawa from the Faculty of Policy Management gave a congratulatory address on behalf of the staff and faculty members of Keio University. Due to the many international students that were present on the day, the welcome and congratulatory addresses were given in both English and Japanese. Then, Sakae Oya of the Graduate School of Economics, representing the incoming class, gave the matriculation address. Finally, all those in attendance sang the Alma Mater “The Juku-ka,” and the ceremony came to an end.
Many students and their family members were seen taking photos on this sunny day and the atmosphere in Mita Campus was full of joy.