YCC Studens Visit Pitt-Bradford

Twenty-one Japanese students from the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford’s sister college will be seen riding bicycles through the streets of Bradford to immerse themselves in American culture through Aug. 14.

The Yokohama College of Commerce students, who arrived at Pitt-Bradford Wednesday (July 30, 2008) with two of their instructors from YCC, will be honing their English as part of Pitt-Bradford’s Summer Intensive English Program.

The students will be living on campus and studying English with Gary Tessmer, assistant professor of composition, and Helen Ruggieri, a former assistant professor of writing.

Field trips are planned to expose the students to both America and Americana. To help them explore their home in the United States, SIEP rented a bicycle for each student. To encourage their exploration further, the Bradford Area Chamber of Commerce developed a “treasure hunt” for students that encourages them to visit downtown businesses and practice their English.

“They get a chance to practice their English, and they get a chance to see what we have in Bradford,” explained Sharen Horvath, an administrative secretary in the department of academic affairs who helped set up the students’ activities. “Both of their professors thought this was a very good way to explore.”

The students’ stay will coincide with the 5th Annual Heart of the Alleghenies Folk Music Festival taking place on campus, which will give them ample opportunity to explore real American folk music. The students will take a group beginners’ dulcimer lesson and have free access to all of the festivals workshops, jam sessions and dances.



The students will also reprise popular trips to a county fair, Niagara Falls and New York City. Isabelle Champlin, SIEP director and assistant professor of anthropology, said the students have already given her their list of sights they want to see – the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty and SoHo.

This is the 10th year Pitt-Bradford has hosted YCC students for two weeks of intensive English lessons and immersion in American culture. Prior to the students’ visit YCC President Dr. Kiyoharu Kubo visited Pitt-Bradford along with professors Mikihiko Takechi and Yutaka Ito.

The president and professors got the Pitt-Bradford VIP treatment, with Dr. Livingston Alexander, president, inviting community leaders to a dinner in their honor and entertaining them with a game of golf and trip to Niagara Falls.

Pitt-Bradford and YCC have been sister colleges since November 1998.

In May, Champlin and Ruggieri led the first delegation of Pitt-Bradford students to YCC for a 10-day cultural exchange.

(In the top photo, courtesy of Pitt-Bradford, Fumie Akao gives Dr. Livingston Alexander, president of the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, a gift of appreciation. In the second, Kazuhiro Amanuma (in the yellow shirt) and Hirosh Motizuki explore a warming tray of ribs.)