Students visiting Concordia from Japan enjoyed seeing campus, including our chapel. At Concordia University Wisconsin, international visiting students don’t just experience an American school; they join a community where faith, learning, and friendship cross every border.
This month, two groups of Japanese students and professors—Matsuyama University’s Pharmaceutical Sciences Department and the other from Keiai University’s International Studies Department—traveled across the world to visit Concordia, where they learned and shared cultures. The two-week visit was coordinated by Dr. Uvidelio Castillo, an associate professor in the School of Pharmacy.
Castillo has organized similar exchanges over the years, with both Japanese students visiting CUW and Concordia students visiting Japan. Professor Toshihiro Okubo, from the Faculty of Economics at Keiai University, and Castillo have been instrumental in maintaining the relationship between the two institutions.
This year, the Matsuyama group attended various pharmaceutical classes and labs as observers.
“Throughout our short visit, my students and I attended lectures and participated in practical training sessions with the aim of gaining valuable insights into the differences between Japanese and American educational methodologies, as well as acquiring meaningful experience,” said Satoshi Okuyama, a Pharmaceutical Sciences professor and leader of the Matsuyama group.
The Keiai students, on the other hand, participated in a Concordia business class.
“We participated in Professor Daniel Underberg’s Sports Business class,” said Nobuhiko Tsuchihiro, a professor in the International Studies at Keiai University, who is the leader of the Keiai group. He added that the group was also able to “get acquainted with Concordia students, learn about a different culture, and brush up on their English.” Tsuchihiro noted that the trip is part of the “Overseas Schooling Program,” in which students learn about different cultures and languages through communication with students in other countries.
The Keiai visitors also shared their talents with the Concordia community. Associate Professor Yoriko Hasegawa, of International Studies at Keiai University, played Concordia’s pipe organ as the group sang hymns in the Chapel. Hasegawa wanted her students to experience singing hymns in a sacred place such as the CUW Chapel with a traditional organ.
Later, the Keiai students hosted a “Meet and Greet” at the School of Pharmacy, in which the students played a tenor saxophone and guitars to share their culture with students who will be traveling to Japan with Castillo in the summer of 2026.
Leaders from both universities met with the deans and professors of the Business and Arts & Sciences departments to promote collaboration and future visits to CUW. Overall, it was a wonderful and enriching time for the visitors as well as for Concordia as the host, Castillo said.
Want in?
Concordia University Wisconsin is a Lutheran higher education community committed to helping students develop in mind, body, and spirit for service to Christ in the Church and the world. To explore CUW’s international programs, visit International Admissions.