The entrance ceremony for the 2024 fall semester was held on September 21, with parents and guarantors in attendance. The ceremony was simultaneously streamed on YouTube for those who could not attend.
The ceremony, rich in international atmosphere with many foreign language natives present, was conducted entirely in English, with the English Studies Society (ESS) students serving as the MC.
In addition to the Faculty of Liberal Arts, 235 students (including 4 re-admitted students) were enrolled this fall to the Sophia Program for Sustainable Futures (SPSF), the Faculty of Science and Technology English Course, and other undergraduate departments and graduate programs that allow students to earn degrees solely taught in English. Of those,145 were international students.
The ceremony began with a blessing by Father Antonius Firmansyah (Catholic Jesuit Center), followed by the reading of the Gospel of Matthew 9:9-13.
Following President Yoshiaki Terumichi’s address, new student representative Elizenda Sanna (SPSF, Faculty of Human Sciences) took the podium to deliver her words of acknowledgement.
In his congratulatory speech, Chancellor Sali Augustine introduced one of the values that symbolize the educational spirit of Sophia University, referring to an episode in which students and faculty members of the university once established a scholarship for children from developing countries who could not afford an education due to economic reasons. Sophia University was founded in the spirit of ‘for others, with others’ and with the belief that higher education is the only way to promote holistic personal growth to attain a high level of academic excellence. He addressed “Be curious, be compassionate, and be courageous in pursuing your dreams. Take advantage of the diverse learning opportunities that await you, both within and outside the classroom. As we commence this new academic year, let us remember that we are not here merely to acquire knowledge, but also to become responsible global citizens who can exert a positive impact on society.”
After a congratulatory address by Mr. Minoru Yonezawa, President of the Sophia University Alumni Association, the ceremony closed with the singing of the alma mater.
Click here for the full text of President Terumichi congratulatory address.
Click here for the full text of Chancellor Augustine congratulatory address.