[No. 43] Terumi Sodeoka

My four years at university went by so quickly. I remember when I first enrolled, those four years ahead of me felt incredibly long.

The reason I chose the Keio Faculty of Science and Technology was because I wanted to study in the Department of Biosciences and Informatics. As a high school student, I couldn't picture my future at all, but the one subject that interested me was biology. So, I decided that if I was going to university, I wanted to study a field I was passionate about, and that's how I chose my path. However, looking back after graduation, what I feel I gained most from my four years was not what I studied or researched, but the "connections with people." I met a wide variety of people in the Faculty of Science and Technology, the Department of Biosciences and Informatics, my research lab, and my club activities.

I now work at a consulting firm, supporting the business of a medical venture company. This opportunity also came from a personal connection. It all started when Professor Tomita of my research lab introduced me to the company's president, who is also a lab alumnus. This environment, where I could apply what I learned at university in the medical field as foundational knowledge, yet work in a different area of 'business support' rather than 'research,' was exactly what I was looking for. I strongly feel that I wouldn't be in my current job if I hadn't entered the Keio Faculty of Science and Technology, if I hadn't advanced to the Department of Biosciences and Informatics, and if I hadn't met Professor Tomita.

The Faculty of Science and Technology Athletic Association Rugby Club, where I was a manager, was where I felt the strongest sense of connection with people. Although it was the Faculty of Science and Technology's Athletic Association, there were many students from other faculties, and I was able to form connections not only with students in my year but also with upperclassmen and underclassmen. I learned so much from my time as a manager, and I believe it was a place where I grew tremendously. And the encounters with my peers and upperclassmen, who supported me and shared both the tough times and the happy moments, are something I've come to realize, after graduating, are incredibly valuable.

Furthermore, at the twice-yearly "nokai" (end-of-season parties), I had the opportunity to meet many alumni. I was able to talk with senior alumni whom I would not normally have had the chance to interact with, and I was truly impressed by something. It was the way that a close-knit relationship between upperclassmen and underclassmen is formed and highly valued, all connected by the bond of Keio that transcends generations. The job opportunity I mentioned earlier was also made possible because of senior alumni who take good care of their underclassmen. In addition, I made wonderful friends in the Faculty of Science and Technology and the Department of Biosciences and Informatics. Although we are now on different paths—some continuing their research in graduate school and others working in society—I sincerely hope that we can always maintain a relationship where we can hang out and talk a lot, just like we did as students. I believe that university is the first step in making choices in life. The people you meet there will likely have a lasting influence on you, and I think who you were able to meet is very important. In that respect, I was able to meet truly wonderful people. I want to treasure these connections as a precious gift forever.