Aubrey Wright becomes the first Alcorn student to study abroad in Japan

Aubrey Wright becomes the first Alcorn student to study abroad in Japan

Alcorn State University’s students continue to set the bar high for excellent achievements.

Aubrey Wright, a junior, history major from Detroit, Michigan, became the first Alcorn student to study abroad in Japan at Akita International University. He spent the entire Fall 2015 semester at the university studying the Japanese language and Japan U.S. relations.

Before he ventured out to Japan, Aubrey was a bit nervous about being the first Alcorn student to study there. Things changed once he landed and realized how equipped he was to take on the challenge.

“It was nerve wrecking being the first Alcornite to study abroad in Japan, but when I arrived, I felt like I was prepared for my experience as well as I could have been because of the help from Alcorn’s Global Programs staff,” said Aubrey.

Once Aubrey shook off the nerves and adapted to his new surroundings, he had the time of his life. He described his experience as better than he thought it would be.

“My experience was more than I could have ever imagined it to be. Half of the students at Akita International University are Japanese. The other half was from all around the world. I joined two singing groups with members from places like China and France. I even had the chance to perform with my guitar during a real Japanese festival. My inspiration to study abroad came from my interest in meeting new people, which is also my reason for coming from Michigan to Alcorn.”

Although Aubrey had fun in Japan, the best part for him was having the chance to learn from a different culture of people. He returned to Alcorn with an expanded mind.

“My favorite part about studying abroad in Japan was having the opportunity to learn from intellectuals from around the world, which helped me to broaden my understanding of diverse viewpoints.”

Aubrey encourages others to study abroad in Japan.

“I would encourage more students to study abroad in Japan because it is a life changing experience that would be beneficial to people in almost any discipline.”