We caught up with Juliana on campus to hear more about her reasons for choosing the Global BBA Program here at NUCB.
Juliana, who has multiple passports and speaks German, English, and Spanish, applied from the UCLA Extension in California. She has taken no time at all to settle in Japan and at NUCB, joining the language exchange, clubs off-campus and is excelling in the classes.
After studying in the USA, why did you decide on Japan for your bachelor studies?
I come from a place where Japan, or Japanese culture is not well known and I have never been exposed to different cultures. I knew I wanted to study my bachelor's in English, so I went to UCLA Extension to brush up my English and during this time I made friends with people from all over the world.
It was this experience, and making connections with Japanese people, I really saw a lot of correlation with NUCB - A campus full of diversity in an inclusive environment that would allow me to step out of my comfort zone. Scrolling through the website, I was impressed with the curriculum, the exchange programs on offer, and the constant communication felt that the university cared.
What is your impression of the Case Study Method?
The first week I was quite nervous as I did not know anyone so it felt a little intimidating on how others receive your opinions. The class dynamic now is nice and everyone is friendly, and we are not afraid to disagree with each other, and I feel that the Case Method allows me to understand the subject more personally.
So far Design Thinking, taught by Prof. Goi has been my favorite class as it is different from anything I have experienced before. We have been tasked with making a Manga storyboard, and I have been given the role of group leader. The professor is really engaging and gives everyone a voice. I also love helping my group and organizing their thoughts and making sure that our project is moving along nicely.
You are studying in Sanbongi dormitory, what do you think?
I really like it, it is very cheap with the dormitory scholarship and it is convenient as we have a combini outside and it is close to school by walking, cycling, or taking the bus. I also enjoy the fact that I can meet with friends staying in the dorm, so I don’t feel lonely and we often hang out.
What do you do in your free time? Are you part of any clubs?
In my free time I like to go to Akaike, the malls are great (Prime Tree, LalaPort) and I enjoy trying different kinds of food. I recently joined Kickboxing outside of campus to keep fit after being introduced by a Japanese student.
I also joined a language exchange. My partner is Takeru and he is such a nice and diligent student. He always helps me if there is any Japanese that I do not understand and through this exchange I have made many Japanese friends outside of the Global BBA Program.
Any plans for the future?
I definitely want to go on exchange to South Korea, (Seoul National University or KAIST) so I can learn more about Skin Care as my dream is to market brands like Shiseido overseas.