Anna Nishida poses in front of a statue
Anna Nishida poses while on a field trip during her time at UC Davis. (Photo courtesy of Anna Nishida)

Anna Nishida: Bridging Dreams from Kyoto to Davis to Calgary

For Anna Nishida, studying abroad has always been a part of her college plans. “I knew I wanted to work in an English setting or in another country and that an undergraduate program in English would help my future career,” she says. But it wasn’t until she participated in Global Class, a UC Davis custom program designed to help students with academic and English skills offered at her high school Kyoto Otani in Japan, that she could see it becoming a reality.  

In the program, Nishida spoke with a Japanese American student assistant who encouraged her to apply to universities outside of Japan. From that point on, she set out to improve her English and pursue her goal of an international undergraduate education.  

Making Strides

Anna Nishida poses with her diploma during her high school graduation ceremony
Nishida poses with her diploma during her high school graduation ceremony at Otani. (Photo courtesy of Anna Nishida)

Prior to her participation in the UC Davis English program, Nishida didn’t have experience learning English in an all-English setting. “In my junior high school, my teacher was Japanese, and she used Japanese to teach us English, as is the usual thing in Japan,” she says. But through her Global Class experience, Nishida says her English has improved significantly, and she holds a great deal of gratitude to Frank Dutton, the instructor, for her success.  

I liked English before enrolling in this class, but my teacher made me love it more.”  

Dutton’s class provided her with an immersive English-language experience where she could improve her writing and speaking skills and develop academic skills, which proved invaluable as she prepared to apply for college abroad. “The difficult parts of preparing to study abroad were understanding the university's requirements, getting a high-enough English proficiency score, writing essays and preparing an interview for the scholarship,” says Nishida. “However, Frank had time to practice International English Language Testing System (IELTS) writing in class, think in critical ways, read news articles to develop skimming and scanning skills, and practice speaking. Those activities were helpful to prepare for my study abroad.”  

The Global Class culminated with a four-week study abroad opportunity at UC Davis, where she could put her newfound skills to use and get a taste of life abroad. “I was so happy that I could take classes from teachers at UC Davis who are privileged and well-known around the world,” she says. It was a whole new experience for Nishida, living outside of Japan, meeting new people and broadening her perspectives. "Living in California, even just for a month, was amazing. I’m so glad that I could have this experience while I’m in high school.”  

Thanks to this experience, when I needed to do a speech about environmental issues at the Doshisha University entrance exam interview, I didn’t feel anxiety about speaking a different language in front of teachers.”  

Embracing New Opportunities

Anna Nishida and her American friend pose in kimonos
Nishida (right) poses with her American friend who studied with her at Doshisha University for a semester. (Photo courtesy of Anna Nishida)

“Studying English at UC Davis was really memorable,” she says. “Everything that I saw and experienced was totally new.” Living in California was her first experience living abroad, but it won’t be her last.  

Nishida has just received a scholarship to attend the University of Calgary in Canada, a feat that she feels she could not have accomplished without her UC Davis experience. She is looking forward to studying abroad, not for English this time around, but to fulfill her academic and professional goals of becoming a Certified Public Accountant. She’s particularly interested in studying the International Financial Reporting System and whether or not Japan should adopt it.  

Nishida knows that these next four years will be tough, but she has come this far and is eager to use the English she’s worked hard to learn to form new connections, immerse herself in new cultures and continue pursuing her goals. “I’m really looking forward to meeting new people from all over the world, taking classes in English, and experiencing Canadian culture and events.”

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