In Class News

June 7, 2019 at 4:48 pm

Six OHIO Students Headed to Japan to Study at Hokuriku University

From left, Dr. Chris Thompson, Iris Edmonson, Kevin Balk (GRS and program participant), Emily Burns (kneeling), and Sabrah Paul. Nicholas Gagliano and Amanda Kantor were unavailable for photo.

Six students currently taking Japanese language courses will study abroad this summer as participants in the annual one-month Hokuriku University Summer Intensive Japanese Language Program at Hokuriku University in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan.

Going to Japan are Ohio University students Kevin Balk (a first-year student in the East Asian Studies M.A.), Emily Burns (a sophomore Geological Sciences major), Iris Edmonson (a sophomore Media Arts and Studies major, Japanese minor), Nicholas Gagliano (a junior Fine Arts major), Amanda Kantor (a junior English major), and Sabrah Paul (a sophomore Fine Arts and Global Studies major).

Students qualify for the Hokuriku program by successfully completing one year of college-level Japanese at Ohio University, qualifying as a study abroad candidate, and being accepted by Hokuriku University as a summer study abroad applicant.

Students will travel to Japan prior to the program on their own but are expected on the Hokuriku campus by evening on July 3 to begin instruction on July 4.  The program consists of classes three or four different classes a day, cultural activities several times a week, and weekend excursions. Classes extend through July 24, but the program officially concludes following a “graduation” ceremony on July 25.  OHIO students can determine how much longer they stay on in Japan. Some plan to travel; some will conduct research, and others will return immediately to the United States.

The Hokuriku program is directed by Dr. Christopher Thompson, Associate Professor of Linguistics.

OHIO has been sending students, mostly one or two per summer, to the Hokuriku University Summer Intensive Japanese Program since the summer of 2000. But this year a larger number of students elected to participate in the program, which less expensive than a semester-long study abroad program in Japan. (See the Japan study abroad options through OHIO.)

Thompson will begin recruiting for the summer of 2020 Hokuriku University trip in September 2019, so any interested students taking Japanese language courses or faculty who have students who might be interested should contact him for details.

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