草莓视频

Contact: Zack Plair

STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擣or Yuko Kagihara, the thought of returning to her Kyoto, Japan, home is bittersweet.

She chose to intern at Mississippi State to experience a smaller, rural atmosphere far removed from the bustling lifestyle of one of Japan鈥檚 largest cities. As she wraps up her seven months in Starkville, however, it鈥檚 not the slower pace or shorter buildings that she鈥檒l remember most. It鈥檚 the people, she said, who have treated her so well.

鈥淚鈥檓 very impressed with how welcome the people have made me feel here,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey are very proud of their work and very competent. Even when you go (off campus) and walk down the street, people look you in the eye and speak to you. It鈥檚 nice.鈥�

Kagihara is one of 12 Japanese educational administrators participating in this year鈥檚 Long-Term Educational Administrators Program, and Tuesday [March 15] will be her last day working in MSU鈥檚 International Institute. Sponsored by Japan鈥檚 Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, the LEAP program enables Japanese education administrators to learn how the U.S. higher education system works and possibly apply some of those practices back home.

All participants arrived in the U.S. in June, and spent two months at Montana State University, the facilitating university in the U.S., completing intensive English training before going to their chosen institution. They will present on their experiences in Washington, D.C., before going back to Japan.

Kagihara has worked three years as an administrator for International Affairs at the Kyoto Institute of Technology. At MSU, she shadowed administrators in all six branches of the International Institute 鈥� international engagement, relations, services and research development; study abroad, and the English Language Institute.

Compared to Japan, Kagihara said she found U.S. higher education work more specialized, and communication far more open.

鈥淓veryone was very open to express themselves and their ideas, especially in staff meetings,鈥� she said.

草莓视频competed with 20 universities to host one of the 12 LEAP interns. Interim Associate Vice President and Executive Director of the International Institute Jon Rezek said it was an honor to be selected to participate in the LEAP program, and he called Kagihara a 鈥渜uick study鈥� with a bright future in education administration. Having her on board also provided a vital cultural exchange opportunity for the entire staff, Rezek added.

鈥淥ne of the main benefits of being exposed to people of another culture is the lens it focuses back on your own culture,鈥� he said.聽鈥淚t encourages us to think about how we interact and contemplate whether there are things we can do to improve. Having Yuko in the office, and growing to think of her as one of us, has been particularly beneficial to several members of the Institute who have not had much experience with the Japanese culture or Japanese students.聽

鈥淚t has made them more open and understanding of the challenges facing international students in a foreign land,鈥� he continued. 鈥淲e have all refined our sense of empathy and understanding.鈥嬧��

Kagihara hasn鈥檛 ruled out returning one day to the U.S. In fact, she said she鈥檚 open to any avenue that leads to being a better administrator.

鈥淭his has been a very precious opportunity for my life,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 am happy to have been at Mississippi State.鈥�

For more information on the International Institute, visit .

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