How many College Connectors does Showa need?

About 50-55 College Connectors (CC) will be selected and prepared for this intercultural learning exchange. Each CC will host 1 triad of Showa students. To facilitate success, CCs will receive intercultural training, ongoing support, and supervision.

Are CCs paid for participation in CCP?

Successful completion of all CC responsibilities requires about 30 hours, for which CCs will be awarded a stipend of $300. After completing the Orientation Meeting and then Kick-Off Day at Showa (Saturday, October 8), each CC will be paid $100. The remaining $200 will be paid upon completion of all other requirements of the program (4 Visits with your Showa triad, E-mail Reports about each Visit, Debriefing Survey, and some e-mail chat with your Showa triad).

What are the qualifications to be a CC?

To qualify as a Showa College Connector, you must be:

• A currently registered, full-time student at one of the six Colleges of the Fenway
• A U.S. Citizen or U.S. Permanent Resident
• Able to efficiently manage your CCP, academic, other jobs, and personal commitments
• A clear communicator with non-native English speakers
• Sensitive to the cultural dimensions of behavior
• Respectful of the unique perspectives of foreign visitors
• An enthusiastic representative of your campus
• Motivated, out-going, and energetic

How to hand in the application?

There will be two Showa Boston staff collecting applications at the 3 locations listed below. They will also answer and clarify questions you may have about the program.  Please make sure to hand in your own application in person on 1 of the 3 the due dates listed.

Ø     Monday, September 19 @ Mass Art: 6:30-7:30pm in the Student Development Conference Room, 2^nd Floor of the Kennedy Building

Ø     Tuesday, September 20 @ Emmanuel: 12:00pm – 2:00pm in the Wilkens Science center Room 113

Ø     Wednesday, September 21 @ WIT: 3:30-6:00 pm in the Watson auditorium

If these dates/time are inconvenient for you, please contact Kenji @617-522-0080 Ext.5512 or ccreport@showaboston.edu

What are the time and schedule commitments for CCs?

• Submit your application in person listed above.
• Attend one of the four 2-hour Orientation Meetings. (dates are not set yet.) Applicants who are accepted as CCs will be notified by e-mail and phone of the exact dates/times/and locations, and will be given a choice of which session to attend.
• Attend the Kick-Off Day at Showa, Saturday, October 8, from about 10 AM to 7 PM. Showa will provide transportation, lunch, & dinner.
• E-mail Chat (about 2 hours). You will initiate some e-mail chat with your pair or triad. Most Showa students communicate more easily in writing than verbally. These messages are essential to clarify/confirm the details of your Visits.
• Host 1 triad of Showa students for 4 Visits to your campus.

• Visit 1: Academic Visit (5 to 6 hours). This Visit is for Showa students to experience the academic realities of an American college student. Observing 2 of the CC's classes is the highlight of this Visit. It will happen during regular school hours on Tuesday, October25, Wednesday, October 26, or Thursday, October 27.   This Visit will also include a meal or snack in the campus cafeteria to preview and debrief the class experiences. Students and their CCs would sign-up to Visit either from 10 AM to 3:30 PM, or from 12 PM to 5:45 PM. Showa provides shuttle transportation
• Visits 2 ~ 4: School club activity or campus activity. These visits are for Showa students to feel as though they are part of the College of Fenway, and to experience "Student involvement in student organization/ clubs/event" during the visits.
• The Visits will happen when CCs and Showa students have free time.

• Submit brief e-mail Visit Reports (about 2 hours total for all 4 Reports) to Showa Boston after each of the 4 Visit.
• Complete and submit an e-mail Debriefing Survey (about 1 hour) after all Visits and all other CCP activities are completed.
• All visits must be completed by Sunday, January 29.

After I apply to be a CC, how will I know if I am accepted?

Showa will notify (by telephone and by e-mail) those applicants who are accepted, by Thursday, September 30th. If you are selected, we will notify you of the details of the required Orientation Meeting (held at Colleges of the Fenway). We will offer this meeting 4 times. You can choose the one that is most convenient for you.  If you don’t receive a telephone or e-mail notification from Showa, by Thursday, September 30, that means that we have selected someone else for the College Connection Program.

How will Showa Boston prepare me for this challenge?

Intercultural Communication and Student Service specialists from Showa Boston will provide solid preparation for this international adventure. The curriculum will include not only the practical aspects of planning and implementing CCP, but also the complex cultural issues related to interacting sensitively with Japanese culture and communication styles. CCs should expect to encounter unique and challenging situations within their CCP work. We will all collaborate to respond to these challenges with open minds, creativity, patience, and intercultural understanding.

Basic Info | Application