On Wednesday, October 15th, Dr. Gary Mukai, director of SPICE at Stanford University, which is implementing the "Stanford e-KyuSan-U" program, visited our university and held a roundtable discussion with six GLP students who are currently enrolled in the program or planning to enroll.
The discussion began with an icebreaker, where the students introduced their hometowns. Mukai also touched on neighboring prefectures such as Saga and Yamaguchi, and spoke with a smile about his experiences trying foot baths and local specialties.
The conversation then turned to Japanese American history, Gary's time as a student, and the students' studies. "It's very important, so I'd love to hear about your experiences both on and off campus," Gary said. The students responded in English, using gestures to talk about what led them to their current majors, what they are researching, and any new interests they have recently developed.
He said, "It is very important to learn about both your own culture and the culture of other countries. Traveling to another country gives you an opportunity to learn more about your own country. In the same way, I hope you will look beyond your own major and enjoy your time as a student."
[Center for International Affairs]
*"Stanford e-KyuSan-U" is an adaptation of the multicultural understanding education program offered by Stanford University's SPICE program, which has been adapted for our university and incorporated into our university's unique, university-wide, cross-disciplinary global human resources development program, the "Global Leadership Program(GLP)" Stanford University SPICE instructors and guest speakers conduct online classes in English on three themes: "Diversity," "Sustainability," and "Entrepreneurship."
