The first GMP Career Forum of the 2025 academic year was held on Tuesday, June 10, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in Room 704 of Building 11. The event was organized to provide students preparing for job hunting with an opportunity to explore potential career paths and learn directly from GMP alumni.
A total of 14 alumni from the first and second GMP cohorts, now active in leading companies and graduate schools, participated in the forum alongside about 80 current students. The event began with alumni introducing their career paths and current professional or academic endeavors, followed by small-group roundtable sessions where students engaged in in-depth discussions with alumni on topics such as job-hunting experiences, work responsibilities, career development, and professional values.
▶Reflections from Yuuki Shimizu, Third-Year GMP Student
At the Career Forum, alumni from GMP Cohorts 1 and 2 kindly took time out of their busy schedules to join us. The event began with self-introductions, where each GMP graduate shared an overview of their current workplace or graduate school, along with insights into their job roles and daily life as working professionals or graduate students. Watching them present so clearly and concisely within such a limited time, I was struck by how capable and confident they have become in their professional lives. It was truly inspiring.
During the following roundtable sessions, we had the chance to talk with the alumni in small groups and ask them about their careers, job-hunting experiences, and the nature of their work. These conversations were incredibly helpful in shaping how I think about my own career path. The alumni not only answered our questions from the introductions but also spoke candidly about their daily work, career progression, motivation, and even their personal values regarding work.
As I listened, I could sense that each GMP graduate took real pride in what they do and made a constant effort to create unique value through their work. Of course, they never explicitly said this, but I could feel it between their words. It reminded me of the “spirit of independence and enterprise” mentioned in Waseda University’s anthem, which refers to the spirit of taking initiative, embracing challenges, seeking constant growth, and never fearing change. I felt that this spirit truly lives on in our alumni.
It was also heartwarming to see how genuinely happy the alumni were to reunite with their GMP friends and professors. They interacted as if no time had passed since they last met. I had heard that the GMP community is closely connected both vertically and horizontally, but witnessing that bond in person made me realize just how strong it truly is. The experience made me even more excited about being part of this network and continuing our activities in the future.
Through this Career Forum, I gained new insights into job hunting, working life, my own future, and the enduring appeal of GMP itself. I’m sure that everyone who attended left the room with something valuable, something that will stay with us as we move forward in our own journeys.
<Participating Alumni Employers and Institutions>
Amazon Japan G.K., PwC Advisory LLC, Deloitte Tohmatsu Consulting LLC, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd., Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Co., Ltd., the Graduate School of Commerce at Waseda University, among others.
