NEWS

On Friday, March 14, the Spring 2025 Graduation Ceremony took place, and a total of 763 undergraduate and graduate students representing 53 countries successfully completed their degrees. The ceremony was held at B-con Plaza, where the graduates, guardians, faculty, and staff attended to celebrate their new beginnings.

At the ceremony, President Hiroshi Yoneyama sent the graduates off with the following message:
Now, on the occasion of your graduation, I have two requests for all of you.
First, I would like you to live life well. To do this, you need character, which you create yourself. Please consider whether your words, actions, and attitudes are decent.
Second, I would like you to value everyone you meet. APU has developed one of the most diverse university campuses in the world. I hope you will make the most of this inclusive experience you gained at APU and value all the people you meet in your lives going forward. At the same time, I hope you will value the friendships you made at APU with your classmates, upperclassmen, and underclassmen.
Human society will have to solve many global issues in the future, such as international conflicts, poverty, climate change, and environmental pollution. Every one of you will use the expertise you have acquired at APU, the power of your mutually supportive networks of friends around the world, and the resilience you have developed in overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic to demonstrate leadership in solving these problems.
In closing, may your lives be filled with happiness, and once again, congratulations on your graduation.
―――You can read the rest of his message here.―――

Representing the undergraduate students, this year’s Ando Momofuku Award-winner Muhammad Ajnas AHMED (College of International Management) reflected on his experience and expressed his gratitude:
It wasn’t always easy. But through it all, one thing kept me grounded: intention. As one example, when I started my social project, Genect which connects senior citizens and APU students, I had no big plans — just a simple intention to bring joy to senior citizens. If we act with good intentions, driven by a purpose bigger than ourselves, and are willing to put in the effort, the outcome has a way of taking care of itself. My goal is to create a better world. To achieve it, I’d like to be a social entrepreneur and nurture the next generation of social entrepreneurs to build businesses with the lens of social responsibility. We’ve grown, stumbled, and thrived together. And while today might be the last time we’re all under one roof, let’s make it count.
Here’s to the goodbyes we never wanted to say, To the ones who made every single day,
This might be the end of this chapter, but the journey continues, From strangers to friends, to a family we grew.

Representing the graduate students, H P Nadesha Chathurangi SAMARATHUNGA (Graduate School of Management, Srilanka) addressed the audience:
For many of us, pursuing an MBA was a dream long before it became reality. We have made countless decisions along this journey and today, we graduate with a newfound strength, deeper understanding, and a reservoir of knowledge that will guide us forward.
At APU, we did not just study; we learned that kindness matters, that resilience is built in unseen moments, and that the most valuable lessons often come from those sitting next to us. Therefore, graduation is not just a celebration—it is a testament to our perseverance through challenges.
The world isn’t waiting for us. It needs us, now more than ever, to bring compassion, knowledge, and purpose into everything we do. Let’s strive to be the kind of individuals who uplift others, who give a voice to the unheard and challenge the status quo. Believe in yourself, embrace the journey, and lead with heart to make a meaningful impact.

The ceremony ended with the traditional cap toss with many flying red caps and voices declaring, “We are APU!” The graduates left the venue with smiles on their faces as they set off on the next stage of their journeys.

You can watch the ceremony on APU’s official YouTube channel.
https://www.youtube.com/live/zFo21WsC_0M?feature=shared