LIHUE — Kauai Community College students Sage Kreisler and Kylee Sugibayashi are the first KCC students to study in Japan through a new program. They’re attending the University of the Ryukyus in Okinawa, Japan, and left last week. Helen Cox,
LIHUE — Kauai Community College students Sage Kreisler and Kylee Sugibayashi are the first KCC students to study in Japan through a new program.
They’re attending the University of the Ryukyus in Okinawa, Japan, and left last week.
Helen Cox, Kauai Community College chancellor, endorses the development of international education, and said the arrangement is a sign the college is moving in the right direction.
“The opportunity to learn about another culture, particularly from being immersed in that culture, changes not only individual lives, but our collective ability to work together to address the world’s challenges,” Cox said.
Kreisler, a second-year student at KCC, is learning Japanese, hospitality and tourism.
He plans on transferring to the University of Hawaii at Manoa after earning his degree from KCC.
Sugibayashi, proficient in the Japanese language, is taking advantage of the opportunity of living in a Japanese-speaking environment to further improve his skills. While at the University of the Ryukyus, Sugibayashi plans to focus on Okinawan and Japanese culture, arts and history.
KCC and Ryukyus have a relationship spanning more than 30 years. KCC has hosted exchange students, but now will send them to Japan through the program that aims to provide students with opportunities to gain a deeper understanding of cultures outside of their own.
