On March 4, 2022, an award ceremony was held in the principal’s office to honor the students who won prizes in the 18th Japanese Essay Contest for International Students, Interns, and Trainees. This contest is held annually for international students and foreign technical intern trainees from universities, junior colleges, vocational schools, and the National Institute of Technology in Kagawa. This year, Ms. Messie, a fifth-year student in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Takamatsu Campus, received an Excellence Award, and Ms. Ukener, a fifth-year student in the Department of Civil Engineering, received an Honorable Mention.

Messie’s essay, “Encounters in Kagawa,” about her three memorable encounters, received high praise for its natural, well-crafted Japanese structure and persuasiveness, which impressed all the judges. In her essay entitled “Comparison creates standards within oneself,” Ms. Ukener carefully described how she compares herself with others, her past self with her present self through various experiences, and how she creates new standards while broadening her perspective.

Although the award ceremony at Kagawa University was canceled due to concerns regarding the spread of COVID-19, the principal presented the award certificates and scholarships from the Kagawa International Exchange Council, the host of the ceremony.