Remarks from the President: FUKUI Tsuguya
President of University

Congratulations to all of you on successfully completing the master's degree course in public health at St. Luke's International University Graduate School of Public Health.
I am grateful to you in that you were brave enough to choose to study public health at our school, despite us being the new kid on the block.
I would think that, based on my past experiences of working at a new medical school more than 30 years ago, the first group of graduates from a new school is compelled to play a special role, want to or not.
First, you set the bar for the school’s work ethic when it comes to study, and you have set an ethic of dedication and hard work. It will have a lasting influence on the students to come after you. Second, you set the level of quality of the fruits of the new school, the types of students it can produce. This will influence our standing in academia. Third, you become an ambassador for the school because people are curious to know everything about new schools. You will influence the number of applicants to our school in the years to come. Altogether, I can say that the first group of graduates determines to a significant degree the fate of a new school.
Now, I am not pressuring you. I am not saying that you have to be super human. But, since you have already made a tremendous contribution to our school through studying hard and getting high marks in all your required subjects, I just ask that, after graduating, you continue doing what you have been doing: working hard, in your own specialty field, keeping what I have mentioned in the back of your mind.
I think you entered the master's degree course a year ago with a research idea of one kind or another. I hope you have solved your main research questions during the course work and you may be now buoyant in happy excitement, because of the far reduced number of research questions running around in your head.
However, I suppose that this is not the case. Rather, I would think, the more you solved your questions, the more you encountered new questions. In this regard, what I wanted you to learn about most in our master's course was not fact or evidence per se, but how to approach and solve the questions you encountered.
There is a proverb of unknown origin from the late 19th century, "Give a man a fish and you feed him a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime".
This proverb epitomizes the importance of the methodology, the way, of solving questions. Currently, research questions we encounter are burgeoning in our rapidly changing society in terms of demography, disease spectrum, innovative technology, and the value system of individuals and populations.
I admonish you to search for research questions, by not dismissing subtle deviations from normality in your daily work, and to pursue the solution following proper research procedures. By doing so, you will end up joining international efforts to form and expand a treasure-house of knowledge, a resource necessary for better health and well-being of humankind. And I hope you will be actively involved at the forefront of your own field in the years to come.
St. Luke's School of Public Health is your hometown. I am looking forward to seeing you in the future, when you return to this hometown to further study or teach. And your contribution is highly appreciated to making our school visible and standout in the international arena.
Let me extend again my heartfelt congratulations to all of you and pray for your success and bright future.
Good luck and thank you.

Remarks from the Dean: ENDO Hiroyoshi
Dean of GSPH

On the special occasion of the first graduation ceremony of the Graduate School of Public Health of St. Luke’s International University, let me express my appreciation to the distinguished guests, families & friends of the graduating students and our colleagues from the College of Nursing and the Graduate School of Nursing Science for your attendance here today. For some of you, this is the third graduation ceremony in a row here today.
Thank you very much.

On behalf of the faculty and supporting staff of the Graduate School of Public Health, it is my great honor and privilege to say a few words in my position as dean for the graduating MPH Class of 2017. I congratulate the nine of you and all those who supported you, your families and your friends, from the bottom of my heart.
You must be filled with relief, excitement, and perhaps a bit of anticipation and uncertainty for what tomorrow brings. Your Master of Public Health degree represents both your year of very hard work behind you as well as many new opportunities that lie ahead.

St. Luke’s Graduate School of Public Health started last April with little experience, minimal recognition, and limited resources. Nonetheless, you chose this school with a pioneering spirit. I thank you for this.

At the opening ceremony last April, as you might remember, I told you, “Let’s work together and try to make our school one of the best graduate schools of public health, not only in Japan but also in the world, so that we can pride ourselves on being alumni and faculty of St. Luke’s.”

You really worked hard together with us and contributed tremendously to securing the foundation of this school. I now express my sincere appreciation for your efforts and contribution. Based on this foundation, students following in your footsteps will no doubt continue the tradition of hard work and success.

From tomorrow on, you will be physically away from the school. However, you will remain part of the domestic and global network of St. Luke’s, in other words, members of the extended family of St. Luke’s, and you will always be spiritually connected with us. Don’t ever hesitate to contact us when necessary - for help, advice or even consolation. We are always by your side.

At the same time, we would appreciate it very much if you could play a role of “goodwill ambassador” of our school and thus promote our school by demonstrating the skills and knowledge you acquired at St. Luke’s.

We look forward to watching you successfully develop in your professional carrier paths and wish you all the best in your future endeavors.

Thank you