Wednesday, September 23 Rose-Hulman students Andrew Anderson, Jamie Kleeman, and Nick McNees gave a presentation sharing their experiences in the foreign exchange program with the University of Aizu, located in Aizu-Wakamatsu, Japan. This foreign exchange opportunity, targeted mostly at computer science and software engineering majors, gives students an opportunity to do graduate-level work while working with professors in the top of their fields. All three individuals seemed quite pleased about the opportunities they had; indeed, these opportunities ranged from the implementation of a new algorithm to becoming the focus of a Japanese festival. Where academics and work ethics were concerned, the students unanimously agreed that the preparation they received at Rose was instrumental to their success.
In addition to the academic opportunities, the three highlighted their exposure to Japanese culture, which included things as simple as sitting on the floor instead of at a table and as grand as carrying a shrine in a city parade. When commenting on the food, they noted that even for a picky eater, there was plenty to eat. One student noted that “You’re forced to eat healthy, like it or not.” The students lived in double apartments during their time at Aizu, and were able to commute to either the town or the University easily via the use of a bike.
All in all, Anderson, Kleeman, and McNees all had the highest enthusiasm for the program and heartily recommended that anyone interested should look into it.