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Ambassadors to Japan Selected
Arkansas Northeastern College has announced that James Whitaker of
Osceola, and Hunter Veach of Manila, have been selected as its 2008 student
ambassadors to Japan. Arkansas
Northeastern College is able to host one of the most exciting travel
opportunities available to students in this area.
The Student Ambassadors to Japan Program is open to ANC students
meeting the criteria and allows them the opportunity to travel to Japan for
two weeks during the summer for an all-expenses paid trip.
This program is made possible through the Yamato Kogyo Company of Japan, which has a joint venture with the Nucor Steel Company in the Nucor Yamato Steel Mill located in Blytheville. According to ANC Dean for Development Rachel Gifford, Whitaker and Veach were excellent candidates. “Our selection process was a little different this year in that we did not have quite as many students to apply, but all of the applicants were excellent. It made it very hard to narrow the selection down to two, but we were very impressed with Hunter and James. They will make wonderful ambassadors for not only Arkansas Northeastern College, but the United States,” said Gifford.
Whitaker, an Eagle Scout who plans to major in environmental sciences, looks
forward to learning about the Japanese culture.
“Through my scouting adventures, I have hiked
the Rocky Mountains, canoed the Canadian boundary waters, visited our
nation’s capital, and more.
These have all been great opportunities, and I
am so glad to have the opportunity to experience the culture and diversity
of another country such as Japan.”
Veach, who has been raised on his family farm, plans to major in agriculture
and is interested in learning about agriculture in Japan.
“My family is engaged in farming, and it will be
fascinating to see the ways of farming in Japan and learn the different
methods they use to grow different crops.” Both Whitaker and
Veach consider it an honor to represent ANC as its ambassadors to Japan.
“I want to thank the Yamato Kogyo Company for sponsoring this student travel
program.
I look forward to experiencing the Japanese way of
life,” said Whitaker.
“Getting the chance to
see Japan and to see the way things are in a different country will be so
rewarding,” said Veach, adding, “Not only will it be rewarding…It will be an
honor to be an ambassador to Japan.”
According to Gifford, the travel program was born out of the Yamato
Kogyo/ANC Foundation Scholarship Golf Tournament, which began 17 years ago.
“At that time, Mr. Hirokyui Inoue, President of
Yamato Kogyo, wanted to do something in this area to show his appreciation
for the people here.
Although the tournament is a wonderful success
each year and is an international event for the area, Mr. Inoue wished to do
even more.
In 1995, he made an announcement at the tournament
inviting students to visit Japan.
His purpose for such an invitation was to offer
students here the opportunity to learn about the Japanese culture and bring
that knowledge back to this area.
In turn, it also gave ANC students the chance to
spread information about our culture to the Japanese people they visited.”
Both Whitaker and Veach are excellent students who plan to continue their
studies at ANC next year, but before that, they will get their wish of
experiencing the Japanese culture this May.
During their two-week visit, they will stay in
hotels, the Yamato Kogyo Dormitory, and the home of Yamato Kogyo
employees—to experience the Japanese way of life.
The Yamato Kogyo Company generously pays for the trip and its employees
extend wonderful hospitality to the students as they visit.
ANC student ambassadors to Japan will be
visiting several cities in Japan such as Hemiji City, Osaka, and Tokyo.
“It is just such a remarkable opportunity that
our students have, and it is quite an honor to be among those selected,”
said Gifford.
“We hope to continue this program for years to
come and hopefully spread understanding about our two cultures in our
respective areas.
We are very appreciative of the Yamato Kogyo
Company for supporting this educational opportunity for students of Arkansas
Northeastern College.”
Anyone interested in learning more about the
Ambassadors to Japan Program can contact Gifford at (870) 838-2902.
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2008 ANC Student Ambassadors to Japan Hunter Veach (left) of Manila and James Whitaker (right) of Osceola. |
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Rachel Gifford 870.838.2902 rgifford@anc.edu | fax: 870.763.0948 | Amanda Glass 870.780.1205 |
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