Messages from current students and graduates
MESSAGE FROM GRADUATES
Graduate Interview: Katsukazu Inagaki
Graduated from Gakushuin High School, a private high school in Tokyo
Worked at JTB Corporation
-You spent four years as a member of the first class. What kind of undergraduate life did you want to have when you enrolled? Do you think you were able to achieve that?
I wanted to spend my college years proactively trying new things. During my six years at junior high and high school, I was surrounded by like-minded friends and enjoyed my school life, but I didn't proactively try new things, so I wanted to make a fresh start at college and try new things. Looking back on my four years at college, I think that as a result, I have become more proactive in trying new things than before.
-I would like to ask you about your undergraduate study abroad, which is the main pillar of your undergraduate studies. Please tell us why you chose that study abroad destination. Also, what did you want to learn and acquire through your study abroad? Please also tell us about the areas in which you feel you have grown.
Study abroad location: Kasetsart University (Thailand)
I wanted to study "Tourism" at Kasetsart University in Thailand because I heard that tourism research is progressing in Thailand. I made tourism the "pillar" of my studies and studied it from the industrial perspective. Before studying abroad, I had great reservations about living abroad, but as I studied in the same environment as students from diverse backgrounds, I felt that my resistance to different cultures disappeared and I became stronger. This is because I gained experience visiting various places and dealing with unexpected happenings, which helped me to become calm and adaptable. It was a great experience to have this experience before entering the workforce in the sense that it broadened my worldview.
-I would like to ask you about your job hunting. Please tell us about the company you are going to work for and the reason, motivation, and reason why you wanted to work in that position. How do you think your four years at Aogaku and your study abroad experience influenced your career path? Also, please tell us about your dreams, aspirations, and prospects for the future.
I thought that JTB Corporation, where I got a job, was the company and job type that I was most interested in and where I could demonstrate the strengths backed by that interest. Also, my greatest motivation was to be appreciated and thanked by those around me for my actions. I thought that the travel industry would be a good fit for these two. I was originally interested in tourism, but by choosing the tourism seminar in my second year and studying tourism abroad, I think I solidified my career path of wanting to work in the tourism industry. In the future, I would like to work hard to be able to "be useful to people and be appreciated by them." After joining the company, my main goals are to "find and promote the charms of local areas, both domestic and overseas," and to "create a system that allows people to enjoy tourism more easily than they currently do," and to play a part in the company.
-Looking back on your four years of learning at GSC and your own growth, please write about the areas in which you felt (or were able to) grow during your first through fourth years and why.
▼ First year
I was struggling to keep up with the daily English classes and the specialized classes that were different from what I had been taking up until high school. As for extracurricular activities, I was absorbed in track and field, which I had been doing since junior high school. I joined a club (Aoyama Track and Field Enthusiasts Club), participated in various competitions, and was able to beat my personal records one after another. It was a very fulfilling year.
▼2nd year
It was my first time studying abroad. I gained the ability to think for myself and respond in an unfamiliar environment. This experience of studying abroad has become the greatest asset of my university life.
▼Third year
In my seminar activities, I served as the vice-leader of the seminar. It was a great experience to take on the challenge of "taking on Position" that I had never experienced before, and to be able to manage the seminar with the help of my seminar leader and classmates, and advice from my professor.
▼ 4th year
Being able to work as the vice-seminar leader, job hunt, and write my graduation thesis gave me a lot of confidence. It wasn't easy to do both, but I made sure to keep in mind the one thing I wanted to do: "not to leave things half-done." I made clever efforts and continued to work hard, never cutting corners on anything.
- Please give some encouragement to the high school students and college entrance exam candidates who will be your future juniors.
Unlike junior high and high school, university is a place where you can honestly face "what you want to challenge yourself with". In order to spend your time as a university student meaningfully, please start thinking about what you want to study and do in the future while you are still in high school. GSC has teachers from a wide variety of fields and students with diverse personalities. The knowledge, experience, and above all, irreplaceable friends you will gain by working hard in this faculty will undoubtedly be a valuable asset in your life. Please enroll in GSC and pursue your own interests and concerns in depth. We look forward to you becoming our juniors.
