1,141 New Students
Welcomed at Spring
Entrance Ceremony

　On Wednesday 2nd April, APU welcomed 1,141 new students at the 2008 Spring Entrance Ceremony, which took place at Beppu's B-con Plaza.

　The 1,029 undergraduates (755 domestic, 274 international), 56 graduates (1 domestic, 55 international) and 56 exchange students (16 domestic, 40 international) hail from over 45 countries and regions worldwide. New students from Botswana, Honduras and Turkmenistan represent their respective countries for the first time.

　On behalf of the new undergraduate students, Ms. YOSHINAGA Rie (APS, Japan) and on behalf of the graduate school students, Mr. LASMIN (GSM, Indonesia) spoke of their hopes and aspirations. Ms. YOSHINAGA said, "I find myself with renewed determination to pursue my studies alongside fellow students gathered from around the globe, and to grow together with them while expanding my outlook on the world. I hope now to take my first steps towards becoming a person who can make a positive contribution to society, founded on my own firm beliefs as an international citizen."

　As a finale to the Entrance Ceremony, current students held a few short performances in order to introduce the various circles and societies at APU. The Convention Hall came alive as the audience enjoyed the enthusiastic performances, which sent a warm welcome to the new APU students about to embark on their new campus life.

CHAITHAT Pongpat
(APS, Thailand)
　My high school in Thailand was quite small, so I spent my formative years in a tight-knit family atmosphere, but here at APU I am overwhelmed and excited to be in such a multicultural environment.
　I wanted to come to APU because of its reputation as an international university and already I have made friends from countries as far away as South Africa.
　My major at APU is International Governance and I am looking forward to learning the strategies required to communicate and make a contribution on the global stage.
　Although I already know a lot about Japan from television, this is my first time here, so I'd like to do some volunteer activities to learn more about Japan and its people.
　I haven't yet decided what to do after graduation, but my ultimate dream is to one day work for UNICEF, so I can help those people less fortunate than I to have a better future.
LASMIN
(GSM, Indonesia)
　As an undergraduate, I studied economics and accounting, and for the past twelve years I have been working at the Ministry of Finance of Indonesia. I decided to pursue my graduate studies at APU, because it is extremely active in raising awareness of the Asia Pacific region, and through my studies in GSM I hope to learn more about business in Japan and the Asia Pacific region.
　This is my first time in Japan and I am eager to learn about its people, culture and especially its language. Language is a very important part of any culture, so I want to learn Japanese too.
　I am interested in humanitarian activities and with APU's multi-cultural campus offering an abundance of networking possibilities, I hope to use this to my advantage in the future.
　After I graduate, I will return to my job as a civil servant, where I hope to use the knowledge gained at APU to help make positive changes in my country.
YOSHINAGA Rie
(APS, Japan)
　I went to study in Canada for my 2nd year of high school, which led to my interest in foreign language and culture, so with its prominent multicultural environment right here in Japan, I decided to apply to APU.
　In APS, I will study topics like environmental problems, deepening my understanding of international issues and furnishing me with professional knowledge. I want to specialize in tourism and since Beppu is a tourist city, I am very much interested in its regional activities.
　I also want to take part in international volunteer programs, and at APU where students come from more than 80 countries and regions, I hope to make friends from all over the world.
　In four years at APU, I not only want to gain language skills and specialized knowledge, but I also want to gain experience in various fields. It is my future ambition to work overseas in the tourist industry.