The Activity of an individual will transform Society
–I look forward to your Future Activities as New Sophians–

First of all, Sophia University faculties and staff extend our sincere heartfelt sympathies to the people suffering from the Tohoku-Pacific Coast Earthquake (Tohoku district- Off the Pacific Ocean Earthquake) and the large tsunami following the earthquake.

On this occasion of the Graduation ceremony, I would like to offer my heartfelt good wishes to all of you, and to all your parents.

You have no doubt worked hard for this success, and yet, this success is also the outcome of the inestimable love and encouragement of your parents, who have stood by you and cared for you from the time you were born. This is something I like you to bear in mind, and to think about with gratitude.

In the world today, economic effectiveness receives top priority. Rapid advancement in the field of information technology, we are able to correspond with those we do not see, we are inundated with data requiring no ability on our part to think, and all this is viewed as something natural. The 20th century society had eagerly targeted and toiled for in keeping with the concept of outstrip and outshine, but this concept was a form of materialism.

What may we say of Japan today? A gap has surfaced between the high-income and low-income earners, a gap large enough to raise our concern. Those with no means of succeeding in the ruthless struggle for wealth and power are unable to gain access to safe foodstuffs or advanced medical care, and they seem unable to attain even the minimum necessities of life, such as welfare. In other words, our society is becoming a bipolar society, namely the winners and the losers.

Sophia is a Catholic University that will soon commemorate its centennial since its foundation. The spirit of Sophia is based on the concept of Christian Humanism, a spirit of impartial service to others. As Sophians, I hope that you take a wide view of the world and volunteer your services to the troubled and victimized sections of the society, and in this context I make the following three requests to you.

My first request concerns something you have often heard of in the past, and that is, to pursue your hopes and dreams in a spirit of resolution. You, who are about to leave the university today, have splendid prospects hidden away in your hearts. The key to how you live your life is in your own hands. When we say that a person is independent, what we mean to say is as follows. First, a person is economically independent. Second, a person leads the type of life where he or she is not dependent on anyone. Third, a person personally builds up good relationships with those in a workplace. Fourth, a person gets to know their seniors who could be preceptors, and from whom he or she can receive advice and guidance from, and fifth, a person who does not make decisions based on their own values, and who can seek the advice from others. Once you graduate, there is no one who can explain to you your true feelings and dreams, and there is no mirror that will reveal them to you. In order to know what they are, you will need to begin the quest by yourself. To put it more philosophically, always question yourself as follows: “How am I going to live? Whom do I love the most? What is it that I wish to do?” To realize your hopes and dreams, you need to make steady efforts, and take a step at a time. In another word, I believe that dreams and hopes are not something that should be given up, but to be realized. I would like all Sophians to show in your attitude and work, that the scale you use to measure success should never be based on neither economism nor mammonism. So, take an open attitude to the world, and offer your assistance to the destitute and exploited people of society.

Second, I would like you to serve a society with the four virtues of courage, diligence, prudence, and zeal. Have you heard of a book entitled Two Years’ Vacation written by Jules Verne and published in 1880? The story is about fifteen boys, who during their summer vacation planned on setting out on a voyage from the coast of New Zealand. However, on the day before their departure, the mooring were cast off and the ship drifted out into the sea with the boys inside. Finally, when the boys reached an uncharted island, they have all sorts of adventures, some rather savage in nature, and yet, by their courage, diligence, prudence, and zeal, they overcame their obstacles and succeeded in returning safely on the repaired ship. I believe that maintaining these virtues will prove most vital in your lives.

Third, I would like you to become a dispatcher of the Sophia Model. At present, we are faced with a multitude of global issues. The environmental-related crises, the devastations and disappearance of forestlands caused by the conflicts, and the decrease in the numbers of young children, are all issues that have arisen and have confronted us in recent years. How do we tackle and resolve these issues that range from a global to a personal level? The value of our Sophia-style education and research are being put to the test. What is the type of scientific methodology you would employ from the standpoint of education and research, in order to resolve such issues? Would the Sophia Model provide a valid prescription for solving the problem? These are questions that I would like you to work on. You have all attained a level of expertise in English or in some other language, and that will assist you work in the global society. The reason why we study English is not only to learn a language and to learn about the cultures of England and the USA, but it is because it opens wide for us a door into the world. Linguistic ability is seen as a useful tool in the global society. So, by utilizing your excellent linguistic skills, it is my hope that you write reports, make presentations, and present the results of your research to the world. The Sophia Model, which is based on the excellent language program, has the following aspects. First, it involves a TOEIC score of over 800. Second, it means being endowed with the ability to succeed in global contests. Third, it means to be blessed with a spirit of service for the others, whereby you view the pain of others as being your own, and fourth, it means to be endowed with a methodology that will enable you to tackle global issues. I would like you to be persons who will translate into action, this type of a Sophia Model.

I would also like you to discern what you have gained from Sophia. Japan is an advanced nation on environmental issues. It has few resources, a small land, and a large population, and yet it has managed to surmount crises such as atmospheric pollution, and we are now in a position to offer the world lessons in overcoming such problems. There is, as a matter of fact, a great deal that Japan can offer the world. While you were in the university, I am sure you have learned and experienced so much. Yet, these four years have been no more than a preparation for what lies ahead of you. I hope that you to reflect over what you as global citizens can do both for mankind and for the world, and what it means to be the Sophians.

I offer my best wishes once again to all of you on your graduation.

Prof. Yoshiaki Ishizawa
President
Sophia University
March 23, 2011