Graduating Japanese Students

(Jan. 2, 2011) On Friday evening, December 17, the Sister Cities Council hosted graduating students from Japan at a reception in the Wes Watkins Center on the OSU campus with some forty people in attendance. Eleven students from across Japan who graduated this semester and members of their families were special guests but there were other students from Japan and elsewhere who came to say “goodbye” in attendance as well. During the reception each graduating student was asked to tell about their plans for the immediate future. All said they were leaving for their home country within a few days and nine of the eleven said they had a job waiting for them, most with very good companies. One has been accepted into a master’s program in the U.S. and one is not actively seeking employment at the moment. Ninety percent of those seeking employment have found employment in an down economy in both Japan and the U.S. which is better than the fall 2010 graduating class at OSU or for students graduating from universities across Japan. That speaks well for the education the students have received at our university and it speaks very well for the students who have been very successful while studying in a language other than their native language. Ten of the eleven students had family members here for their graduation which speaks well for their close family ties and family support. One young man enjoyed the presence of three generations of his family here to show their support; a brother, his parents, and his grandmother. We know the new OSU alumni will do well and wish them the very best. The Sister Cities Council also hopes 2011 is a great year for each of you.