Dozens of new students enter WISH dormitory
Mon, Oct 20, 2014On September 6th and 8th, about 90 new student residents (90% of which are foreign nationals)moved into the Waseda International Student House (WISH) dormitory. Waseda University’s base for cultivating global leaders has become even more international.
Welcome party
WISH opened in March 2014 as a facility for the cultivation of global sensitivity based on diversity such as different nationalities, culture and living habits. WISH gives all its student residents the opportunity to grow together. Listening to the opinions of new dormitory residents, it is obvious that this appeal is causing the steady increase in applicants. After welcoming these new residents in September, WISH is now home to approximately 800 students (25% of which are foreign nationals) from about 20 different countries and regions.
WISH was the first housing choice of Daniel Hess, from the United States, a first-year student in the School of International Liberal Studies. Daniel became interested in Waseda University’s global education program and took the entrance examination. His dream for the future is to be involved in work for global environmental protection and conservation. Similarly, Jeanne Ebendinger, from France, also a first-year in International Liberal Studies, was drawn to a shared lifestyle with other international students at WISH. While living in the rich international atmosphere of WISH, Jeanne hopes to learn the Japanese and Korean languages. Many RAs(Resident Assistant: upper-level students who serve as leaders and support daily life in the dormitory) also say they were attracted by the appeal of experiencing various cultures and languages other than English.
In addition to daily interaction, WISH cultivates creative problem-solving ability and communication skills through the unique Social Intelligence (SI) Program (see below) . On their first day at WISH, new dormitory residents participated in an orientation and a welcome party. In the following days, they had instruction on dormitory rules and manners and also took an Introductory Japanese class, which is part of the SI Program. This class is intended to help newly-arrived students adapt quickly to life in Japan. Beginning September 29, new dormitory residents participate in the SI Program once a week, and those who show noteworthy results during the program will be invited to participate in a special overseas business training experience.
“I want to contribute to friendly relations between Taiwan and Japan,” said Esther Chuang, a first-year student from Taiwan enrolled in the School of Social Sciences, and her statement is indicative of the high aspirations held by students gathering at WISH. There are now even greater expectations for WISH as an environment where students will make new friends of varying nationalities, grow through interaction and friendly competition, and acquire the skills needed for leaders in today’s global age.
SI Program
A unique WISH program for developing skills required to succeed in global society. One key part of the SI Program is Self-Motivation classes, which use group work to cultivate skills essential for the professionals which society truly needs. Examples of such skills include autonomy, consensus building, communication ability and motivation ability. Global Communication classes are another key, using role-playing and case studies to teach strategies for achieving mutual understanding among diverse people from different backgrounds.
