The Fall 2026 Undergraduate and Graduate Commencement Ceremony was held on Friday, September 18 at the West School Building Hall on Mita Campus. This fall, a total of 719 students (421 undergraduate, 91 doctoral, 178 master's, and 29 professional degree program students) marked an important milestone and entered into a new chapter in their lives.
The ceremony began with Vice-President Yoshimitsu Matsuura's graduating class report, followed by President Kohei Itoh conferring degrees on representative students from each undergraduate faculty and graduate school. In addition, outstanding undergraduate students were recognized with commendations for academic excellence in accordance with the university's guidelines.
Subsequently, in his welcome address, President Itoh spoke about the importance of maintaining "a clear sense of purpose" and "unyielding curiosity" in a world marked by upheaval. He encouraged students to carve out new paths and to not let their decisions be dictated by "calculation" (namely, of immediate gains and losses). Thereafter, Professor Yoshimasa Saito from the Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences gave a congratulatory address on behalf of Keio faculty and staff members, and Takeru Matsunaga from the Faculty of Letters delivered an address as a representative of the graduating class. At the end of the ceremony, two Keio student organizations, the Wagner Society Male Chorus and the Wagner Society Female Chorus, sang the Keio University anthem (the Juku-ka) in unison to close the festivities.
Under the clear and pleasant autumn sky, graduates were seen across Mita Campus taking photos with their diplomas, filling the campus with joy and a sense of hope for the future.
Photos: Takeshi Kishi