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Osaka University's
Inaugural North American Alumni Reunion
January 7, 2006
Overlooking downtown San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge beyond, the conference room filled gradually with people. Mingling easily, they chatted and exchanged business cards. Although this scene is often repeated in San Francisco, which constantly hosts world-class conferences and business expos, this was no ordinary meeting.
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More than 50 graduates and former exchange students of Osaka University had gathered to help organize the school's first overseas alumni association. This historic meeting was one of several events in the past two years since the university opened an overseas office in San Francisco, signaling Osaka University's rapidly growing influence outside Asia.
Traveling from as far away as New Jersey and Washington D.C., the participants represented diverse professions such as biotechnology, corporate law, retail, electrical engineering and travel. In addition to Japanese alumni living abroad were non-Japanese alumni such as former graduate students who conducted research at Handai. Whether recent grads starting venture firms or highly respected CEOs, the participants all had a Osaka University heritage in common.
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To celebrate this event, sponsored by Handai president Dr. Hideo Miyahara, many of the university's top leaders flew to California to witness the birth of this pioneering new organization. Dr. Miyahara introduced the latest developments at Osaka University, which is undergoing exciting changes as it gradually moves away from being partially funded by Japan's Ministry of Education. Dr. Suzuki, Handai's vice-president,
gave a short presentation about the university-wide alumni network association.
After the idea for a North American Alumni Association was first germinated last year, the need for a general meeting to bring together members to hammer out its functions and mission was quickly recognized. As the newest star in the growing constellation of Handai strong alumni groups and associations, it reflected a wider trend among top schools such as Harvard to support overseas alumni.
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The association aims to work closely with Osaka University's SF
Centers to highlight the excellent work being done by its graduates
across Canada and the US. More than 450 strong in the US alone,
Osaka University graduates have made their mark felt from the
halls of NASA to Silicon Valley. As a leader in cutting-edge fields
such as biotechnology, robotics, nanotechnology and computers,
Handai is helping fuel Japan's economic recovery and contributing
significantly to new industries around the world. |
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The participants, led by newly minted association president Takashi Yamamoto, went about the critical business of electing members to association positions, forming an official charter and debating about future projects. In order to build up this "human network", the members agreed to hold an annual general meeting. Steve Matsuura, a visiting professor for Osaka University's graduate school of law and a respected director at the Bank of the West, capped off the meeting with an address titled "Does History Repeat Itself?"
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Taking a break, the audience enjoyed a Japanese and California style-buffet. Dr. Hashimoto, a Handai trustee, gave the official toast, wishing the crowd and the fledgling association success in the New Year. Afterwards, several alumni took to the podium to express the significance of their connection to Osaka University. An emotional address by a Japanese alumni and permanent US resident ended the inaugural reunion. The alumni described his deep satisfaction in seeing so many alumni and the association brought new vitality to his connection to Japan. Vowing to develop the association further by holding the next meeting on the East Coast, the audience responded with enthusiastic applause.
To see more images, please visit our 2006 alumni reunion slideshow.
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