MURRAY, Ky., Sept. 3, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Sekisui Specialty Chemicals has been sponsoring the Murray State University Study Abroad program for 8 years now. The fund has given 32 students the opportunity to study internationally, many of these students pursuing Japanese majors or minors.
This year's recipients were James West, a Japanese major and biology minor from Memphis, Tennessee, and Ray Friedland, a teaching English to speakers of other languages major (TESOL) and Japanese minor from Louisville.
Friedland, who visited Japan for the 2nd time, spent the trip connecting with her host family, visiting local landmarks, and communicating with students at the nearby Tenri University. She also had the opportunity to teach a lesson to a 2nd grade class at Tenri Elementary School.
West said he particularly enjoyed visiting the island of Miyajima, where he joined fellow Kentucky Institute for International Studies (KIIS) Japan participants in climbing to the peak of Mt. Misen. He said the trip helped him gain confidence in his own understanding of the Japanese language. By immersing himself in Japanese culture and speaking little English during his stay, he had an opportunity to develop his linguistic skills and better understand the country in person.
Both students expressed deep gratitude for opportunities afforded by the Sekisui scholarship. To read their exact quotes, please see the full article in the Murray State Ledger.
Sekisui Specialty Chemicals is a subsidiary of Sekisui Chemical Group, a multibillion dollar, global company that delivers a wide range of products and services to enrich people's lives. The company is comprised of core businesses and technologies in housing, social infrastructure, and chemical solutions. Sekisui Chemical's corporate philosophy and principles are deeply rooted in Japanese tradition, and the company has brought many innovations to Japan over the past 70 years. Sekisui is also historically the 1st Japanese manufacturer to begin operations in North America in 1963. Since then, the company has created a steady exchange of technology and culture between North America and Japan.
Sekisui Specialty Chemicals is the manufacturer of Selvol, a line of high performance polyvinyl alcohol polymers and copolymers used in paper, adhesive, packaging, construction, personal care, and many other specialty formulations. One of the company's three manufacturing plants is located in Calvert City, Kentucky, not far from the Murray State University campus. To find out more about Sekisui Specialty Chemical's innovations or initiatives, please visit www.sekisui-sc.com.
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