2024.04.26.
2023年度卒業生インタビュー①叶内紗弥さん / Interview with Class of 2024 graduate #1 - Ms. Saya Kanauchi
2023年度に国際学部を卒業された叶内紗弥さんに、国際学部を選んだ理由、その魅力について語っていただきました。
叶内さんは4月から日本経済新聞社に勤務されています。
①国際学部を選んだ理由
高校3年時に関西学院世界市民明石塾※に参加したことがきっかけです。高校時の生徒会活動で途上国支援に携わっていた経験から、漠然と「国際協力に従事したい」という志がありました。その中で、明石塾の「グローバリゼーションは飢餓をなくすことができるのか」という本格的なディベートに挑戦したことで、その志は確固たる夢へと変わりました。同ディベートや日本人初の国連職員である明石康氏の講義を受講したことで、年齢や性別、社会的身分を問わずすべての人が貧困による負の連鎖から脱却し、社会的自立が可能となる社会を創造したいと考えるようになりました。これらの実現に向け、国際問題に対する現実的な解決策を見出す力を養うべく、「世界市民」の育成に特化した国際学部を選びました。
②学生生活のなかでもっとも印象に残っていること、またその理由
課外活動として取り組んだ体育会学生本部編集部での学生記者生活において、「一生分の感謝の言葉をもらったこと」が最も印象に残っています。編集部では、普段は関わる機会の少ない選手一人ひとりの人生に寄り添い、予測不能なスポーツドラマを自身の手で幾度も描くことができます。一方で休みを問わず作業にも時間にも追われ続ける目まぐるしい日々を過ごす中で、何度も挫けそうになりました。しかしながら、記事や本紙の完成とともに真心のこもった感謝の言葉をかけてくださった選手たちのおかげで、約3年間愚直に突き進むことができました。一生分の感謝の言葉をもらい、たくさんの人々の原動力になることは編集部でしか実現できなかったことであり、私にとってかけがえのない一生の宝物です。
③国際学部での学びを今後のキャリアにどのように活かすことを期待しているか
私はいま、日本で唯一のグローバルメディアである日本経済新聞社で、報道記者としてファーストキャリアを歩んでいます。このキャリア自体も、2年時に受講した国際ジャーナリズム論を通して国際報道に興味関心を抱いたことが契機です。緊迫化する国際関係や途上国の惨憺たる実状を学びながら国際ニュースと自身との接点を模索し、「ジャーナリズム」とは等身大の自分自身では物理的に経験できない事象を報道して人々に繋いでいく「情報の架け橋」だと考えるようになりました。コストの高い国際報道は新聞・テレビ業界ともに敬遠されがちですが、本講義での「包括的に世界各地の情勢に触れることは、時代を生き抜くための自己防衛につながる」という学びを心に留め、世界を生き抜く当事者として決して国境のない国際問題への取材を徹底的に敢行したいです。
④国際学部を志す高校生および在学生に向けたメッセージ
人生の岐路に立つ高校生、大学生の皆さんは、特に日々選択・決断の連続かと思います。そのような中でも、無限の可能性を秘めている皆さんには、選択に躊躇したり迷ったりしたときこそ他人軸で考えるのではなく、自分の心が踊る選択をしてほしいです。後悔のない選択をして、自分を信じて真っ直ぐ突き進んでください。また、私自身の展望については、部活動での徹底して調べ尽くす事前準備や取材活動を通じて培った対人関係構築力を活かし、今後も「豊富な人材バンクを抱える記者」として即時的に伝える使命を全うしたいです。そして、夜討ち朝駆けを惜しむことなく国際問題への徹底取材を敢行することで、社会に追及の大きな流れを生みだし、国民に当事者としての意識改革を訴えかけたいです。
※関西学院大学国連・外交統括センターが将来のグローバルリーダー育成を目的として明石康・元国連事務次長(本学学長特別顧問)を塾長に迎え実施した高校生対象のプログラム(2023年度で終了)。
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).