In Happy and Sad Times, You Always Have Waseda’s Anthem “Alma Mater”
“Ebicha-Zone” is a Waseda Weekly column where Waseda faculty members from a variety of fields reflect anonymously on the theme “What professors want to tell students.” This time the column is about Waseda University’s anthem “Alma Mater.” The translated version begins, ” Northwest of City great and fair, In the wood of Waseda…” Can you sing it?
There are many people who first truly felt a part of Waseda University while singing the Waseda anthem (and referencing the lyrics) at their entrance ceremonies. I am also one of those people. I’d like for you to think about how many times you have sung the Waseda anthem since your entrance ceremony. The number is probably too high to count for some. On the other hand, there are probably those who haven’t sung it even once. At the graduation ceremony the anthem is sung again, but I see students that still can’t sing it without looking at the lyrics. As a faculty member and alumna of Waseda University, it makes me sad.
Waseda’s rival, Keio University, has a school song accompanied by the unwritten rule that it cannot be sung while drinking alcohol. Waseda’s anthem, however, can be sung not only at entrance and graduation ceremonies, but also when the Waseda baseball team wins or loses to Keio, and during drinking parties. It is both a school song and a fight song with mysterious power. It brings us together as a united Waseda. Waseda’s anthem can make you proud and can make you love Waseda even more.
Whether it’s in good times or bad, why don’t you try singing the Waseda anthem when you get the chance? Then, at the graduation ceremony, remember it and take it with you as you leave Waseda and move on to your next adventure. I look forward to watching you sing it loud and proud.
Japanese article:うれしいときも悲しいときも、校歌と共に
Waseda University Students Start Soccer Club for Adults, Renovate Empty Houses, and Cheer Up their Hometown
Waseda University student Jion Ariyama (4th year, School of Human Sciences) founded Saltista Hashimoto FC, a soccer club for adults, along with two friends in 2021 in his hometown of Sagamihara, Kanagawa Prefecture. He now serves as the club’s vice president. Unusual for an adult soccer club, 90% of the 77 members carry out the day-to-day activities related to the club, including coaching, accounting, and website management. On top of this, from last year, the club has begun contributing to their local community by renovating vacant houses in the city. For this article Waseda Weekly spoke with Jion about his experience starting the club and his future plans.
Waseda Weekly asked Jion his reason for starting a soccer club and he shared that his long-time friends approached him with the idea during his first year at the University. It was also in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic while various restrictions applied to club activities. The club currently plays as part of Kanagawa Prefecture’s 3rd division league but is preparing for promotion to the 2nd division. When asked how a soccer club began renovating houses, Jion replied that his goal has always been to provide opportunities for practical experiences to as many students as possible and that focusing only on soccer restricts the possibilities. He was looking for ways to support his local community and one of the club members happened to be a student in the Department of Architecture, so he suggested that renovating the empty houses would be a win-win for both the students, who learn new skills, and the local residents, who were troubled by the vacant houses.
Japanese article:早大生設立の社会人サッカークラブ 空き家リノベで地元・相模原市を盛り上げる！
What is Carbon Neutrality? Waseda Community Members Share Why It Should Matter to You
In this article, Waseda Weekly sought answers to the question, “What is carbon neutrality and why should it matter to us?” from Dr. Yasuhiro Hayashi, Waseda Center for a Carbon Neutral Society’s Director and Faculty of Science and Engineering Professor, along with Waseda students. The WrapUp will focus on Professor Hayashi’s responses. In recent times, the phrase “Carbon Neutral” has become more popular. It means to balance the emission and absorption of harmful greenhouse gasses to have a net zero production of harmful gasses. In October 2020, the Japanese government announced its goal to make carbon neutrality a reality by 2050. In November 2021, Waseda University also committed to carbon neutrality and announced the Waseda Carbon Net Zero Challenge 2030’s. The following year the Waseda Center for a Carbon Neutral Society was established and has been working on many different initiatives intent on changing the future positively.
Waseda Weekly spoke with Professor Hayashi about what the Waseda Carbon Net Zero Challenge is, as well as the role of the Waseda Center for a Carbon Neutral Society. He explained that the challenge has three missions: state-of-the-art research, human resource development, and achieving carbon neutrality on campus. Of these, human resource development requires effort across faculties, while state-of-the-art research requires collaboration between the public, private, and academic sectors. The Waseda Center for a Carbon Neutral Society plays the role of coordinator between faculties, and it also serves as a hub between companies and the University. In this sense, the creation of a carbon neutral society requires more than just reducing CO2 , but also demands significant societal change. We need approaches that center not only on science and technology, but also social, economic, environmental, and even psychological measures. With this in mind, the Waseda Center for a Carbon Neutral Society created an undergraduate degree program called “Net Zero Leader” that crosses the boundaries between “liberal arts” and “science” and creates leaders who can promote carbon neutrality in any industry, around the world, while still a student and also after graduation.
Professor Hayashi shared that, “It’s wonderful that Waseda students take initiative and many are good at seeking out their peers when they come across issues related to research that they don’t understand.” This is what makes Waseda students particularly suited to further develop and eventually solve the current research problems.
Japanese article:カーボンニュートラルとは？ 早大生が自分事と捉えるヒントを教えます！
