Dedicated learning, challenges, and connections with people. My university life has helped me grow greatly

Hitomi Seino entered Soka University to gain the ability to contribute to solving problems in the international community. Through on-campus learning, including the Global Citizenship Program (GCP), she improved her English language skills, problem-solving skills, leadership, and awareness of environmental issues, and she also boldly attempted to put her learning into practice through exchange programs and extracurricular activities. We spoke to Seino about what she gained from her many learning experiences and challenges, and what was the driving force behind her challenges.

When you were looking for college, please tell us why you chose Soka University as your school of choice.

When I was young, my mother recommended that I read a picture book called "Give me flowers, not mines," and that inspired me to want to work for people all over the world who were placed in unfair circumstances. When I was in high school, I was considering a university where I could learn to work in the field of international cooperation, and when I looked at the Soka University brochure, I noticed that the career paths of its graduates included "UN staff" and "international NGOs," which were my goals. I was also strongly attracted by the fact that Faculty of Law offers an "International Peace Diplomacy Course" that focuses on conflict resolution and peace, and began to consider it as a school of my choice.

What ultimately made me decide to take the entrance exam was the existence of the Global Citizenship Program (GCP). A local senior student studying at Soka University told me that the GCP thoroughly hones the English skills and critical thinking skills necessary for global success, and that many of its graduates work for international organizations. I decided to enroll at Soka University because I thought I would be able to learn about peace while also acquiring the skills to play an active role in the international community.

What skills did you acquire through GCP and GLC?

There are three main things I learned at GCP:

The first is my English ability. In my daily English classes, I studied international issues in English and learned academic methods in English, which helped me improve my English while deepening my knowledge of International Affairs Department. I think having time to concentrate on English every day helped me improve my English ability step by step.

The second is problem-solving skills. In projects that involve proposing solutions to real International Affairs Department, students are required to research previous research papers, foreign literature, and policies, analyze the results of their research, and present coherent solutions. In the process, students were able to develop the multifaceted perspectives, research skills, analytical skills, and logical thinking skills necessary to solve complex problems.

The third is the bond with my classmates. GCP classes are tough, requiring high levels of English ability and thinking skills, but I was able to overcome them because I had classmates who had the same goals and encouraged each other. I believe that the bond with my classmates, who I was able to discuss my worries with, correct each other's English problems, and overcome difficult times together, will give me strength even after I enter society.

Global Leader College (GLC) is an extracurricular course that aims to develop students' problem-solving and communication skills in order to become global leaders. I started taking GLC in my second year and learned leadership skills that involve those around me. In the past, I was prone to asserting my own opinions too much, but through group work at GLC, I became conscious of listening to the opinions of others and deepening friendships through everyday chatter and conversation. I feel that I have grown as a person by being able to participate in team building that emphasizes communication.

What kind of study is planetary politics, which you majored in at Faculty of Law? What topic did you delve into as you studied it?

Planetary politics is a discipline that critically reconsiders the traditional field of international politics, which focuses on relations between nations and, by extension, between people, and seeks to identify the roots of modern social problems such as social division and climate change, and pursues the search for solutions to these problems through relationships with the earth and ecosystems. I took a planetary politics class because I wanted to understand the causes of conflicts and disparities, but I was shocked to learn that the destruction of ecosystems caused by human activities has actually widened disparities, forcing vulnerable people and creatures into more severe environments. Humans have clearly taken advantage of the silence of the earth, which is supposed to be their partner, to use and exploit it unilaterally and for their own convenience. I focus on the political nature of this relationship. This class made me think that pursuing activities that do not place an excessive burden on the environment could lead to a fundamental solution to the world's problems, and I became very interested in realizing a peaceful relationship between humans and the earth, toward a society where we can cherish "flowers, not mines."

Planetary politics encompasses a wide range of issues, but my research theme is the sustainability of agriculture. I am focusing on agricultural practices and deepening my studies in the hope that agriculture that coexists with nature while receiving its blessings will balance human activity with the natural environment and gradually resolve the issue of inequality. In my graduation thesis, I wrote about a different kind of food security that differs from the conventional one, one that can be reexamined from the perspectives of biodiversity and consideration for the surrounding natural environment, with an eye toward restructuring food security, which has previously been discussed from the perspectives of economic efficiency and safety.

In addition, in 2024, I also took the Global Peace and Coexistence Fieldwork course. This is a field trip that involves experiencing nature, and it is a class that deepens your understanding of the circulation of water and soil through your physical senses (physis) in order to overcome the limitations of thinking only with your head (logos) on campus. I feel that I have been able to learn a lot that is fruitful and deepens my understanding of planetary politics.

What was your most memorable experience during your exchange program in Bulgaria?

I studied abroad at Sofia University in Bulgaria for 10 months starting in September 2022. Because it was an exchange program, tuition fees were waived, and I also received a scholarship from the Japan Student Services Organization and a special scholarship from Sofia University, which allowed me to enjoy a fulfilling study abroad experience with almost no financial burden.

In class, I took classes on international affairs and security studies, and discussed international relations with European students. Thanks to the language skills and thinking ability I developed in Soka University's GCP, I was able to participate in the discussions with confidence, and I didn't have much trouble writing the essays assigned in class. When the essay I submitted received the highest evaluation among the international students, I felt that what I learned at Soka University had been put to good use, and I was happy.

During my study abroad, I made many Bulgarian friends. Bulgaria is a country rich in nature, and when I visited a friend's house in the countryside, I was impressed by the free-range cows and chickens. They received milk from their neighbors to make homemade yogurt, and each household preserved the taste of traditional cuisine. I felt that they lived a very rich life.

However, on the other hand, I learned that the number of people leaving farming is rapidly increasing in Bulgaria as well, and this experience made me strongly feel that we must not allow agricultural practices and landscapes to fall into disuse in any country. I believe that I learned valuable lessons, including these experiences, during my time abroad that I would not have been able to gain by staying in Japan or at Soka University.

Outside of school, I heard that you took to the stage as a student representative at the GGG+ Forum, which is organized by an international NGO.

The GGG+ Forum is a forum for industry, government, academia and the public, organized by an international NGO that makes policy recommendations on issues such as global nutrition and epidemics. I took the stage as the moderator and student representative for the session "Post-Pandemic World: Thinking about Gaza with the Director of Health at UNRWA."

I had an online discussion with the head of the health department of UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East), and the staff there, and I was overwhelmed by the severe situation there, even more so than I had seen in the news. Although the area is originally a thriving agricultural region, there is currently nothing to eat and there is a complete lack of medical aid supplies. I was touched by the way they spoke for the people who are suffering, appealing for an immediate ceasefire and sufficient food aid, and I felt the importance of facing the harsh reality head on.

What are your plans and goals after graduation?

After graduation, I will be working in the economics department of an agriculture, forestry and food organization. I wanted to tackle the issues of inequality and the environment that I learned about in the GCP and seminars from the perspective of "farming," so I decided to work in a place where I could connect with farmers all over the country and have an impact on food and agricultural systems both in Japan and overseas.

My future goal is to learn sincerely about the issues facing agricultural fields in Japan and around the world through collaboration with producers and all those involved in agricultural production, to continue thinking about what I can do to solve global issues, and to put it into action. I will put into practice what I learned in the seminar, "think planetarily, act terrestrially," by utilizing not only the English skills I have learned so far, but also my problem-finding and problem-solving abilities and leadership skills.

What has motivated you to take on various challenges both inside and outside of school?

I was energized by the connections I made with people and the idea of "doing things for others." I was able to study and take on new challenges in the wonderful environment at Soka University thanks to the support of my family, seniors, and peers. My feelings of gratitude to those around me and the belief that the only way to repay their support was to produce results motivated me to persevere until the end.

The biggest growth I've seen since my time at university is that I've come to value connections with people. I was originally an introverted person and had a hard time proactively connecting with people, but I was able to form strong bonds with the friends I met at GCP and GLC, and even though we sometimes clashed, we were able to laugh about it and look back on it as fond memories. I want to continue to build connections with the people I meet in new environments and cherish those bonds.

Please give a message to your juniors who are interested in attending Soka University.

There are many amazingly talented and interesting people at Soka University. There are also warm-hearted people who take your dreams and worries seriously. The idea of "making juniors better than themselves" is deeply rooted in the university, and the current students and alumni support the juniors with all their might. Thanks to meeting such wonderful people here, I was able to hone my skills, take on various challenges, learn a lot, and grow into someone I could never have imagined when I enrolled. I will continue to work to ensure that those who will be entering the university have better opportunities to challenge themselves and grow during the rest of my student life, and even after graduation, I would like to connect with Soka University students who are working hard in their respective fields and continue to work hard together.

Soka University is a place where you can realize your goals and dreams. I hope you will read a lot of books, meet a lot of people, and talk a lot to broaden your possibilities.