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LUJ Celebrates New Graduates
On Saturday, April 12, Lakeland University Japan held their spring graduation ceremony. The ceremony began around 1pm on Saturday with Associate Vice President Charlie Stockman (himself an LUJ alumni) moderating the event.
After the ceremony processional, LUJ’s Vice President, Dr. Anderson Passos, welcome graduates, faculty, and friends and family of graduates to the event. Following Dr. Passos were to two speeches from Dean Charles Laurier and Lakeland President Dr. Beth Borgen, who managed to make the 14-hour trip from Lakeland’s campus in Wisconsin to deliver her speech in person.
Following Dr. Borgen was Mr. Tai Ishizaka, the Guidance Office Manager for Sumida’s Board of Education. Mr. Ishizaka thanked Lakeland for continuing to support younger students in the Sumida community and congratulated the graduates on their accomplishment.
LUJ graduate Mara Peppmüller represented the graduating class of 2025 by delivering a speech centered on how students overcame various struggles: “Today may feel like an ending—but “commencement” means beginning. From here, we step into the unknown. Some of us may feel uncertain. That’s okay. What matters is how we walk forward.”
Peppmüller urged compassion to those in attendance: “I hope we carry with us the lessons that truly count: that peace is built through understanding. That helping one another is not a weakness, but our greatest strength. And that in a world that can sometimes feel divided, the smallest act of compassion is a powerful form of resistance.”
See pictures below, including a few taken in the Kyu-Yasuda Garden, a 2-minute walk from the campus.
