I decided to enroll at Soka University because of the skills I could develop, rather than the name of the university. I spent the next four years honing my English skills and research abilities, and studying deeply and intensively.

Hiroaki Kamiguri says that he wanted to improve his English skills during his high school years. He was accepted to Soka University as well as other well-known private universities, but was attracted to the GCP program and decided to enroll at Soka University. After enrolling, he honed his English skills and investigative abilities at GCP while also deepening his study of business administration, which broadened his interests even further and led him to take classes in the Faculty of Faculty of Economics. His four years of serious study with a goal in mind gave him rich experiences and solid skills that are no less than those of attending a prestigious university.

Please tell us why you decided to enroll at Soka University.

When I was in my second year of high school, I participated in Soka University's open campus and learned about the GCP program. At that time, I had a short conversation with the teacher who was the coordinator at the GCP booth, and I remember thinking, "So there's a research-based program like this." I passed the entrance exams for other universities, but I thought that studying in a small-group, interdisciplinary program like GCP would be better for me to gain a broader perspective and internationality, so I decided to go to Soka University.

When I was in high school, I participated in a selective fieldwork program and stayed in Los Angeles, USA for a week. However, I couldn't speak English very well, and I had a strong desire to study English more. If I entered Soka University's GCP, I would thoroughly strengthen my English communication skills, and then at the end of my first year, I would be given travel and training expenses covered to do fieldwork in a developing country for about two weeks, providing a sure-fire opportunity to test the English skills and thinking abilities I had acquired. That seemed very appealing to me.

You actually went on fieldwork to the Philippines at the end of your first year. How was it?

We split into groups and set themes for each genre, such as Philippine culture, society, and politics, and conducted research six months before our trip. Our group considered the sexual and reproductive health of Filipino women under the theme of "Reproductive Health in the Philippines" in the category of health and hygiene. The Philippines is a Catholic country, and its influence is strongly reflected in daily life. This includes the prohibition of contraception and abortion, and there is the issue of the ease with which sexually transmitted diseases can spread. We interviewed professors at Capitol University in Mindanao and spoke to various people in different positions, such as public health nurses, Catholic priests, and lawyers, regarding these issues, and later compiled our findings into a report and presented it. Since this was a theme that we had not faced much before, it was a good learning experience in terms of thinking about Japan.

Why did you decide to go on a long-term study abroad program in the fall of your third year?

Actually, I didn't think about studying long-term when I first enrolled. I chose Faculty of Business Administration because I wanted to become a certified public accountant, and I also had the goal of acquiring English skills at the same time. I knew that it would be difficult to study for the national exam and study English at the same time, and I had heard from the teachers at GCP that I could improve my English skills while staying in Japan without studying abroad, so I didn't think I needed to study long-term. However, when I talked with a senior career support staff member who had experienced long-term study abroad in the fall semester of my first year, I was deeply inspired by the excitement and elation he conveyed from his experience during his study abroad, which I couldn't express in words. Time is limited, and when I thought about what I should prioritize now, I honestly thought, "I want to study abroad," so I decided to focus on the challenge of studying long-term. I also wanted to learn business administration in depth at my study abroad destination, so I narrowed down the study abroad programs offered by the faculty rather than exchange programs between universities to the ones I chose for my study abroad destination.

You went to the University of Victoria in Canada. Can you tell us about any memorable experiences you had there?

I took two semesters' worth of classes at the Gustavson Business School at the University of Victoria. The class that left the biggest impression on me was Strategic Management. The lecture part was completed in the first half of the class, and in the second half we put the content into practice by conducting a management simulation. It was a team competition in which we were divided into groups of three, and the final ranking affected our grades, so I remember getting together as a team almost every week to discuss things.

Thanks to the training I received at Soka University, I was able to achieve a TOEIC score of 955 and a TOEFL score of 97 when I studied abroad. Since I was studying business administration, which was something I had studied in Japan, my English ability was not an obstacle to my studies. I also had the courage to speak up in my first class, which gave me confidence and enabled me to continue to actively participate in classes after that. I don't think this is a unique feature of the University of Victoria, but what is different from the general thinking in Japan is that students do not leave their questions unanswered. They have a strong desire to gain knowledge, and if they don't understand something while the professor is talking, they will immediately raise their hands and ask a question, which livens up the class and makes it very interesting.

What did you learn at Soka University's Faculty of Business Administration?

I studied business strategy in the seminar of Professor Koji Yoshimoto, who is the dean of the faculty. I was particularly interested in the proposition of how companies formulate strategies and engage with customers in response to market and macroeconomic environments. Among the undergraduate classes, the "Management Science" class, which considers corporate business strategies using mathematical methods, was particularly interesting. I was also impressed by the professor of business strategy at the Gustavson Business School, who told me, "You Faculty of Business Administration students should also study economics. If my classes are like meat, then you have to study economics, which is like a salad." After returning to Japan, I immediately took five courses in my fourth year: "Intermediate Microeconomics," "Finance," "Environmental Economics," "Introduction to Behavioral Economics," and "Intermediate Macroeconomics." In these classes, I learned that economics is inseparably linked to corporate management.

What are your plans after graduation?

I will be working as a general office worker in the general construction industry. I believe this is a career path that will allow me to utilize the skills I have acquired at Soka University, such as my studies at the Faculty of Business Administration, the English skills I have acquired through GCP and studying abroad, and the ability to passionately pursue things that interest me. I am excited to be able to put into practice what I have learned at Faculty of Business Administration by taking charge of multiple construction sites and managing them responsibly. I will take to heart the words of the HR person in my interview, "You should master the content and experience that would normally take 10 years in just five years," and aim to learn and grow more than anyone else and become a professional in the financial field.

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

Over the past four years, I feel like I have acquired the ability to set a theme, to find something that I am passionate about and to explore it. I believe this is a skill that will come in handy not only in my studies, but in many situations in my future life and career. Some of you who are about to enter university may feel confused because you are not sure what you want to study or what you want to do. However, at Soka University, there are many people who are seriously devoted to something. By spending time with such people, you will surely find your theme. Study at Soka University seriously and with passion!