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On Friday, June 26th, Waseda University President Aiji Tanaka visited Waseda International Student House (hereafter, WISH) to give a one and a half hour special lecture on “Exploring the Future of University Life with the President.” This event was organized by the WISH Resident Assistants, of which I am one, in cooperation with the Student Affairs Section and the Secretariat Office of the President. It brought together 80 WISH residents from many faculties and diverse backgrounds. The event content included President Tanaka’s self-introduction, a Q & A session, a lecture on the University’s strategic plan “Waseda Vision 150”, individual work to create action plans based on those visions, group sharing of those ideas, and then a final presentation from some of the groups.  

The purpose of this event was to raise awareness of Waseda Vision 150, a long-term initiative that the University aims to accomplish by 2032, the 150th anniversary of Waseda University’s founding, make a connection between residents and the President, and for each resident to understand the visions in their own way and live with an action plan for putting them into practice. 

WISH has a strong connection with these visions and our university established the dormitory for raising students of the highest caliber and character who show promise in being able to contribute to the world, and graduates who will contribute to the public good as global leaders. Therefore, President Tanaka presented mainly on visions that are related to our dormitory.  

Students then worked on completing action plan sheets to analyze their personal life goals, such as writing down aims they hope to achieve during their four years at Waseda, their current activities, and what they could do during their time at WISH. Each participant reflected on the President’s words and expressed them in their own ways. They explored how to realize their future goals based on the visions. While sharing their ideas in groups, President Tanaka went around and listened to their discussion. Some students were able to get feedback and comments on their plans from him. One remarkable saying of his was that “Global Leader” does not mean people working abroad; they are people who can continue to think how to contribute to the world no matter where they are. This comment encouraged many residents to broaden their aspirations. 

As one of the organizers of this lecture, I was very honored to be able to hold such a meaningful event. We devoted significant efforts to preparing for this day since March. For example, our work included diverse tasks from considering content and creating worksheets to discussing and reviewing the proposal with the University’s sections. This experience was unforgettable for me because we reaffirmed residents’ strong motivations toward becoming global leaders and allowed us to showcase our dormitory as a cutting-edge and enthusiastic environment to the President.  

In conclusion, President Tanaka’s visit to WISH made a remarkable impact on residents by encouraging them to think about their future more confidently. After the event, many residents gathered around him for handshakes and autographs, creating a warm atmosphere. This encounter has become a cherished memory for the entire WISH community.  

About the Author: Chitose Shindoh 

Hello, everyone! This is Chitose from the Japanese Cultures Program at the School of Culture, Media, and Society. I am a Resident Assistant at Waseda International Student House. We recently held a summer festival where residents enjoyed somen noodles, kakigori (shaved ice), and watermelon. I hope many students from all over the world will join the WISH community and experience Japanese culture through exciting events.