TOMODACHI Welcomes New Participants for the TOMODACHI Internship Program
On June 12 and 13, 2017, TOMODACHI welcomed new student participants from the United States for the 2017 TOMODACHI Internship Program. Administered by Temple University, Japan Campus (TUJ) this program is sponsored by the U.S. Embassy Tokyo. The program was created in 2015 to facilitate more Japanese internship opportunities for American students.
This semester, the program welcomed four American university students. Having just completed their first two weeks at their internships, they shared their experiences to date and expressed their excitement about their future in Japan. The four students each work for different host organizations and receive three to four college credits for their internships.
James Ho, a senior from Fordham University, interns at Steins, which provides a variety of services, including internet services, advertising, and content consulting. James is majoring in Economics and Computer Science, and was excited to share with us his experiences in Japan so far.
Cody Lubinski, a junior from Temple University in Philadelphia, is a biochemistry major interested in medicine. Cody interns at the Embassy of Afghanistan, uniquely utilizing his knowledge of biochemistry and gaining communication skills that he will require in his potential future career as a doctor.
Juliann Ping, a sophomore also from Temple University in Philadelphia, interns at United Way Worldwide, an NPO working globally to create a better life for all communities. She shared her aspirations of pursuing a career in actuarial science for NPOs.
Jakub Olesniewicz, a senior from Temple University Japan Campus, expressed his sincere gratitude for his position at DART Partners, a research and consulting firm. Originally born and raised in Poland, Jakub majors in international business studies and works as a consultant using data analysis at DART Partners.
When describing why she applied for this program, Juliann said that she cultivated her interest in Japan thanks to studying Japanese for five years in the U.S. Like Juliann, the other scholars have also studied Japanese for a while and share a great interest in Japanese culture. As an ultimate goal in completing this program, Jakub enthusiastically said, “I will keep in mind that I should never stop learning. Many people think that learning stops after their schooling years, but I believe learning opportunities are continuous throughout our lives.”
The meetings with the students were very lively and all the four students now better understand their missions as selected U.S. representatives playing important roles as a bridge between Japan and the U.S. TOMODACHI hopes that all of the scholars will further grow as global citizens through their internship experiences.
