The Meiji University Academic Internship Program
Contact: Judy Ensing < ensing@hawaii.edu >
Partners: Meiji University partnered with the University of Hawaii Outreach College, which in turn facilitated the program by collaborating with the Shidler College of Business, the School of Travel Industry Management, and other academic departments at UHM.
URL: http://www.nice.hawaii.edu
When officials of Meiji University approached the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (UHM) with their vision to combine an academic study abroad experience with internships in the local community, Outreach College welcomed the opportunity to bring together the various academic departments and services that such a customized program would entail.
Ten carefully selected Meiji University students representing a variety of major areas of study arrived in August 2015 to begin their eight-month adventure. The three-week Summer NICE program eased the students into the English-speaking environment and the local culture before they began a full course load in the fall semester. All ten students were enrolled in two travel industry management courses, plus two other courses, such as second language studies, Hawaiian language and culture, and American studies. The hard-working students all passed their classes with excellent grades!
The final program component was a three-month internship. Five students were assigned to the beautiful Hilton Hawaiian Village, where they experienced different jobs in a popular hotel in the famous tourist destination of Waikiki. One student shared, “I truly enjoy working at Hilton Hawaiian Village, and I learn something new everyday. I’m sure that this experience will be great and unforgettable in my life!!!”
Five students were assigned to Japan Airlines, where they learned what it takes to serve travelers coming through a busy international airport. One student describes her experience: “Sometimes I translate because most of the passengers are Japanese but we have some staff who don’t speak Japanese. That’s good for me because I feel happy when staff and passengers understand each other and they thank me a lot.”
Soon the Meiji students will be ending their program with a closing celebration. They will go home changed and ready to continue pursue their careers with valuable experience!