Kansai Gaidai University Holds Completion Ceremony for 451 International Students from 32 Countries/Regions

On May 30, Kansai Gaidai University (Hirakata City, Osaka) held a completion ceremony for international students who studied during the spring semester at Tanimoto Hall on the Gotenyama Campus Global Town, awarding certificates of completion to 451 students.

The students receiving certificates hailed from 32 countries and regions, including 300 from the United States, 25 from Canada, 18 from South Korea, 10 each from Mexico and Thailand, 9 from Finland, 7 from Sweden, 6 each from the Netherlands and Singapore, and 5 each from France, China, and Turkey.

Sofia Alexander (U.S.) was the first student representative to receive a certificate from President Kimei Kikuchi.

President Kikuchi delivered an address quoting anthropologist Ruth Benedict, known for her book "The Chrysanthemum and the Sword." Michael Barker, who studied at the university's international program from 1986 to 1987 and currently serves as Head of Global Total Rewards at Shiseido's People & Culture Division, attended as a guest speaker.

Professor Masato Takayashiki, Director of the Japanese Language Program, gave a "final Japanese lesson" as a farewell address. He engaged students with a quiz on "Top 10 Tourist Destinations in Japan Popular with Foreigners" and taught them typical Kansai-dialect expressions like "akan" and "chau-chau." He concluded by calling the students "ambassadors" and "alumni" of Kansai Gaidai.

Julia Anna Ruhe (Germany) delivered a response in Japanese, reflecting on her year as the best in her university life, citing memories of trips to Tokyo and Mount Fuji and the friendships she made.

Following this, a slideshow reviewing their half-year of life was shown. Large cheers erupted when the names of all participants were displayed during the end credits.

Valeria Petrenko (Russia, studying from South Korea), Kim Jang-hee (South Korea), and Ta Ha Anh (Vietnam, studying from the U.S.), who lived in the same unit at "GLOBAL COMMONS YUI," shared emotional goodbyes with Resident Assistant (RA) Himeka Hoshi (3rd year student, English Career Department).

Valeria expressed her excitement, saying, "Seeing my name in the end credits was touching. Meeting the best floor mates at YUI is a treasure. I want to advance to a graduate school in Japan to get an MBA."

Kim reflected on the experience of living alone for the first time, stating, "I never felt lonely because I met so many people at YUI. I am sad to leave Japan." She added, "Trying calligraphy was a difficult but fresh experience."

Ta Ha Anh smiled as she recalled, "Pottery class was the most memorable. I spent time kneading the clay to complete my own mug. I will treasure this mug for the rest of my life."