Ms. Saya Kanauchi, a class of 2024 graduate from SIS, spoke about the reason why she chose SIS and what attracted her. She has started her career at Nikkei, a global media company, from April 2024.

What made you choose SIS?
- It all started when I participated in the Kwansei Gakuin Global Citizen Akashi-juku* in my last year at high school. Since I had been involved in supporting developing countries through my student council activities of my high school, I had a vague but consistent idea that I want to dedicate myself to an international cooperation. Through taking part in a serious debate on the question "can globalization end hunger?" in Akashi-juku, the idea had turned into my definite dream.
By participating in this debate and in a lecture by Mr. Yasushi Akashi, the first UN nation from Japan, I started to think that I would one day like to create a society where all people, regardless of their age, gender, or social status, can break free from the negative cycle of by poverty and become socially independent.
In order to realize these, I chose to study in SIS so that I can foster my ability to identify realistic solution for international issues.

What was the most memorable experience in 4 years, and why?
- The most memorable experience is that I received all the words of gratitude that I can receive in a lifetime through my career as student journalist for the editorial team of the university's athletic department. In the editorial team, I was able to stay side by side with the student athletes that we don't normally get to know, and I could capture and recreate the unpredictable sport dramas with my words, as many times as I want. On the other hand, there were many times that I felt like giving up in the overwhelming days of with hardly no time to rest. However, thanks to the players who, along with the completion of the articles and the paper, gave me sincere words of encouragement and gratitude, I was able to move forward for the three years. Receiving a lifetime's worth of words of gratitude and being a driving force for so many people is something I could only have achieved in the editorial team, and it is something I will treasure irreplaceably for the rest of my life.

How would you like to utilize your learning experience at SIS in your career?
- I have just started my first career as a reporter at the only global media company in Japan, the Nikkei. This goes back all the way to when I started to have an interest in the international reporting through the "国際ジャーナリズム論(International Journalism" course that I took when I was in the second year. While learning about the increasingly tense international relations and the tragic realities of developing countries, I sought the connection between international news and myself, and came to believe that "journalism" is a "bridge of information" that connects people by reporting events that they themselves cannot physically experience in everyday lives. International reporting tends to be avoided by both the newspaper and television industries, but I would like to keep in mind the lesson learned in this lecture, that "being exposed comprehensively to the world's situation leads to protecting oneself for thriving in the generation we live in", and will always dare to cover borderless international issues as someone who is involved in surviving in this world.

Messages to the future and current students at SIS
- I would like to continue to fulfill my mission of providing immediate information as a "reporter with a rich network of human resources" by utilizing my interpersonal relationship-building skills cultivated through the preparation and research in my career as a student writer. I will do my very best to cover every international issue, day or night, so that I can create a social trend and appeal the people in Japan to change in their awareness as a stakeholder.
For the high school students and undergraduate students who are at the turning point of their lives, there may always be choices and decisions to make. Even in the situation like that, I hope all of you, who are full of possibilities, will make a choice that sparkles your heart, and do not think based on someone else's perspectives when you are unsure or hesitant to make choices.
I hope you will make a decision that leaves no regrets behind, and move forward with a belief in yourself.

*The program for high school students which was implemented by the Integrated Center for UN and Foreign Affairs Studies at Kwansei Gakuin University with Professor Yasushi Akashi, former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations (Special Advisor to the President of Kwansei Gakuin University), as its president, with the aim of fostering future global leaders (the program ended in the AY 2023).