President Stephen J. Kolison Jr. and Yachiyo Shoin High School Principal Madoka Sakurai formalize a letter of intent to bring Japanese high school students to campus for a two-week summer learning experience.
An agreement fostering American cultural exploration and learning experiences for Japanese high school students at SUNY Fredonia has been established.
President Stephen H. Kolison Jr. and Yachiyo Shoin High School Principal Madoka Sakurai signed a letter of intent which supports an international student visit in July and outlines future admissions considerations. Vice Principal Tomoyuki Kanekoalso joined the informal ceremony held April 28.
“Fredonia is a very friendly town, and the students feel very comfortable during their stay on the campus,” Mr. Kaneko commented. The International Pathway program at SUNY Fredonia that brought 15 to 20 students to the campus with instructors in the summer of 2023 and 2024 is very well organized, he added.
Students live on campus and enroll in English as a Second Language (ESL) classes. Among their favorite experiences hosted by the International Pathway program were visits to Niagara Falls and Greystone Nature Preserve, where they learned about ecology, being introduced to fly fishing and the local fly fishing club, and exploring Native American culture through the Native American Consortium.
“We thank you for trusting your students in our care. The students have come a long way,” President Kolison noted. “Trust is very important.”
Academic interests of the students vary and can include engineering, environmental science, art and the English language, Mr. Kaneko said. All students receive English language instruction prior to attending the two-week summer program.
“We look forward to meeting the students,” said Robyn Halicki, assistant director of the ESL and International Pathway program, and hopefully welcome them back to campus as enrolled students in a future fall semester. Benefits to entering a degree program at SUNY Fredonia are numerous, she added.
President Kolison, joined by Assistant Vice President for Retention and Academic Success Erin Mroczka, and the two guests exchanged gifts. Their tour of the campus on a delightful spring day included lunch at Cranston Marché.
It was noted that Yachiyo Shoin High School, which enrolls about 3,000 students, is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2025-2026. It was noted that Fredonia is honored to be a point of pride in Yachiyo’s academic history.
