More than a hundred GraSPPers gathered for GraSPP Alumni & Students Day 2022 on the evening of Saturday, October 15, with its hybrid reunion mode enabling alumni participation from around the world. This report shares with the reader memorable moments for the alumni to rekindle friendships, reconnect with the school, and meet new people.
Sandeep “San” Rajgopal, President, GraSPP Alumni Association (Class of 2015)
“1092 days. That’s how long GraSPPers have had to wait since they were last able to interact face-to-face. While the innovative virtual events filled the void in the interim, GASD 2022 leveraged the best of both worlds. In-person attendees were able to meet and mingle personally, but the event did not shed the gains of recent years by incorporating alumni from around the world. This year marked a first with local gatherings abroad, from Delhi to Berlin and London. What a great event!”
Kunro Hino, former President, GraSPP Alumni Association (Class of 2013)
“GraSPP Tatsuoka-kai New Delhi Branch launched! I have been stationed in India since April 2021. Two Indian and two Japanese alumni here in New Delhi meet occasionally. On Homecoming Day, I hosted a gathering at my house, and we all participated online and connected to Tokyo. Anyone involved in GraSPP, please come and say hello whenever visiting New Delhi!”
Tomokazu Sasaki, Student Council representative (first-year student in Economic Policy Program)
“I served as a coordinator for the Japanese sessions. We made it thanks to the participants’ good response and the support of Morita-san, an alumni coordinator. I hope it is a good opportunity for everyone to interact with their peers and meet new people. I hope to pass on what I learned this time to next year’s coordinators and to make GraSPP Alumni & Students Day even better in the future.”
Emi Kimura, GraSPP Alumni Desk
“Our Homecoming Day since 2007 celebrated its 16th anniversary this year. We had a hybrid offering for the first time this year following the two virtual gatherings during the past two years under COVID-19. Regardless of where they were, our alumni reunited with one another, enjoyed new encounters, and reconnected with their alma mater. I can’t wait for the next Homecoming Day to see you all. GraSPP Alumni & Students Day 2023 is scheduled for Saturday, October 21!”
Participants’ voices and messages
“I didn’t expect to be one of the speakers but thanks for having me.”
“Thank you for arranging the event. It was a great opportunity that I was able to get to know and talk to the alumni of GraSPP.”
“It was a nice chance to see some of my classmates again as well as talk to new students I hadn’t met before.”
“Everyone should travel to a different country each year and have one of our local classmates guide us there.”
“There is a small group of London, UK alumni, and we have a Facebook message group in which we organize meetings.”
“I look forward to some refreshment courses and policy discussion seminars on current events for alumni who graduated 5-10 years ago.”
“I think that the event was the best possible format under the constraints of the pandemic.”
