On Monday, April 2 the entrance ceremonies for students embarking on undergraduate and postgraduate studies in the 2018 academic year at Keio University were held at the Pacifico Yokohama Exhibition Hall.
Due to construction work currently underway at the regular venue of the Hiyoshi Commemorative Hall, the entrance ceremonies, like the commencement ceremonies of the previous week, were held at a venue outside Keio for the first time.
A total of 1,775 incoming students from 14 graduate schools (1,330 Master’s, 273 PhD, and 172 Professional Degree candidates) were welcomed at the entrance ceremony for postgraduates in the morning. The ceremony began with the Incoming Class Report by Provost Tojiro Aoyama, which was followed by a welcoming address from President Akira Haseyama in English and Japanese. President Haseyama said that the value of academic rigor would first begin to assert itself by engaging with others, without overly focusing on one’s field of specialization. Next, there was a congratulatory address by Hideyuki Okano, Dean of the Graduate School of Medicine, on behalf of Keio’s faculty and staff members, and the postgraduate entrance ceremony came to its conclusion with a group rendition of the Alma Mater “The Juku-ka.”
A total of 6,528 persons from 10 faculties, including Japanese Language Program students, became the newest members of the Keio student body during the entrance ceremony for undergraduates held in the afternoon. Keio alumni celebrating the 50th anniversary of their graduation are also invited to attend the entrance ceremonies each year, and this year it was the turn of the graduating class of 1968 to take part.
At the undergraduate entrance ceremony, following the Incoming Class Report by Provost Aoyama, a welcoming address was delivered by President Haseyama. In his welcoming address, President Haseyama said that flexibility and the ability to discern the true nature of things were at the heart of academic discipline. He also expressed his expectation that the incoming students would make sterling efforts to ensure that they achieve their personal goals. This was followed by a congratulatory address from Professor Junichi Yamamoto of the Faculty of Letters on behalf of Keio’s faculty and staff members, and a matriculation address by Taisei Abe, the incoming class representative from the School of Medicine. There was a presentation of donations to mark the 50th graduation anniversary and a celebratory address by representatives of the 1968 Mita-kai, which was topped-off by a group rendition of the Alma Mater “The Juku-ka.”
The Keio Cheer Group then took the stage to welcome the incoming class and all attendees were roused by their stirring performance. The 50th Anniversary Alumni Reception was held at the Yokohama Royal Park Hotel following the ceremony.
A large number of incoming students and their families could be seen taking pictures to mark the occasion outside the venue, taking advantage of weather reminiscent of early summer.