On Monday, March 26, the 2018 Keio Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony was held at the Exhibition Halls of Pacifico Yokohama, with 6,263 students newly graduating from the 10 undergraduate faculties. Among the graduates were 240 Correspondence Course students.
Due to construction work which is currently underway at the regular venue of the Hiyoshi Commemorative Hall, the commencement ceremony was held at a venue outside Keio for the first time.
The ceremony began with Provost Tojiro Aoyama’s Graduating Class Report, which was followed by the presentation of awards and diplomas and the congratulatory address to Keio’s newest graduates by President Akira Haseyama. In his address, President Haseyama spoke of the importance of discerning the true nature of things and of the creativity needed to bring forth new solutions. He also alluded to the value of intercultural understanding and of the diplomacy to peacefully overcome differences when cultures clash as well as maintaining one’s moral grounding as a member of the human race in a turbulent era. Hiroshi Hayakawa, President and CEO of Hayakawa Publishing Corporation, representing the Keio Alumni, then delivered his own congratulatory address. This was followed by a valedictory response from Michihiro Matsugaki, a new graduate of the School of Medicine, on behalf of the graduating class.
Many families of the new graduates followed the proceedings on a live relay of the ceremony at the family venue, provided in the National Convention Hall and Conference Center of Pacifico Yokohama. After the ceremony’s conclusion, various parallel events were also held at the adjoining venues such as the Conference Center and Yokohama Grand Intercontinental Hotel. These included diploma conferment by faculty; the 25th anniversary alumni reception; celebrations related to the Keio Athletic Association Shinzo Koizumi Award; and a ceremony for honors students.
Under cherry blossom trees in full bloom and swayed by a refreshing sea breeze, the faces of the new graduates taking photos with their families and friends brimmed with hope and a spirit of vibrancy at the prospect of their imminent journeys.