Saint Mary’s University is excited to announce that Emelita Angeline T. Noble, an incoming Grade 10 student, has earned a spot in the esteemed Asia KAKEHASHI Project – AFS Philippines, which builds bridges between Japanese and Asian high school students, focusing on culture, language, and mutual understanding. This achievement comes after a demanding nationwide selection process that included candidates from across the Philippines. Emy is among the select few chosen to participate in this fully funded cultural exchange scholarship, sponsored by Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). The program provides exceptional high school students from Asia and other selected regions with the chance to study and live in Japan for one semester. Participants will attend a Japanese high school and will either stay with a host family or in a dormitory. 

This immersive experience enables students to enhance their cultural understanding, cultivate global competencies, and strengthen international connections between Japan and their home countries. This is the first time that Saint Mary’s University will send a student abroad through the AFS program. This accomplishment showcases the university’s continuous commitment to internationalization, which aims to offer students valuable global opportunities and access to scholarship programs overseas. These initiatives are made feasible through the university’s established international networks and partnerships with various countries worldwide.