Happy New Year! On January 14, HTIC held its Winter Convocation welcoming back returning students, faculty, and staff. Chancellor Yoshikawa and other speakers used this occasion to extend best wishes to the entire HTIC ohana for an enjoyable and successful Winter 2008 Term.

Each term a special Convocation theme that relates to our mission statement is selected and carried through in activities throughout that term. This term’s theme was “Becoming a Global Citizen!” Convocation attendees were encouraged to participate in activities, both on campus and off, that foster the skills and knowledge necessary to be competent global citizens.

This month HTIC also extends a warm aloha to the 23 SHIP students from Japan who arrived on January 4 for a two-month stay at HTIC and the 20 Hanyang University students who will arrive from Seoul, Korea on January 23 to study in an intensive 3-week program. We hope the classes for all these students successfully challenge them to become more fluent in the English language and that each day brings fun, new friends, and adventures as global citizens living in a foreign country.

Other new faces on campus this term are the Kapiolani Community College Freeman Japan Program participants: Grace Bezilla, Amber Miller, Jaemi-lise Yoshioka, Anthony Dowdell, James Edmondson, Jason Hoe, Derek Luangrath, Charles Monsell, Scott Pirscher, Alex Shanklin, and Jason Testa; and the Freeman China Program participants, Kalinda Matthews-Harris, Layae-Ann Tobosa, Shannon Cuadro, Jessie Brockl, and Jennifer Klung. Students in the Japan program are also HTIC students as they are enrolled in Dr. Wendy Matsumura’s History 251, History of Japan, and are scheduled to continue their language studies at Tokai University's Shonan campus in Shizuoka, Japan from April 1 through July 31. We hope their time at HTIC assists in their development as global citizens and prepares them to study abroad successfully.

Joining us on campus this term are several new adjunct faculty: Toake Endoh and Minoru Kimoto, and returning adjunct faculty Jeanie Bouthillier, Robert Peters, and John White.

Best wishes to all for an intellectually fruitful winter term that results in inspired global citizens!