If you have children who are fascinated with anime, manga, or other Japanese culture, consider sending them to  Kaneko Day Camp. This year's camp takes place August 5-8, 2013. Day Camp is a four-day cultural experience run by the students and staff at TIUA.  It  is an educational and fun way for children to get a taste of Japanese culture.  Some of the daily topics are:  origami, calligraphy, basic language instruction, songs, games, and dance.  It is one of the highlights for many of the American Studies Program (ASP) students who are here in Salem. 

Campers are divided into groups of around 10 children and they each attend a variety of sessions during the week.  There are two age groups:  elementary school and middle school.  

For a photo gallery from last year's Day Camp, click here. 

For more information and application forms, click here.  

There will be a reunion party in Japan on June 15, 2013.  Any alums from Willamette University and/or the American Studies Program at WU/TIUA are invited to join staff from WU/TIUA/TIU.  Details of the party are as follows:

Venue: Mango Tree Cafe Lumine Ikebukuro 9F   --   Authentic Thai Cusine Buffet
1-11-1 Nishi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo
URL:http://r.gnavi.co.jp/ga4n721/lang/en/
Tel: 81-(0)3-5954-8106

Date: June 15th, 2013

Time:  4:45pm (Start of reception)                                       Cost: ￥5,000 (Alumni & Alumnae)
5:00~ 7:00pm (reunion)                                                         ￥3,000 (Students)

Pay at the door.  Children are able to attend -- Free for 12 yrs old and under

RSVP via Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/events/162673253896652/

If you need further information or have questions, please contact Barby Dressler at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Guests attending from TIUA will be:  Gunnar Gundersen, Executive Vice President; Masaki Shimada, Director, Campus Life & Academic Services; Barby Dressler, Director, University Relations/Special Programs; and Tomoko Harpster, Associate Director Campus Life & Academic Services.

Also attending will be Professor Linda Heuser (Sociology) and other WU visiting professors.

Hope you can join us!

There is an exciting new initiative started by Willamette University (WU), Tokyo International University (TIU) and Tokyo International University of America (TIUA) called the Global Teaching Institute (GTI).  The Global Teaching Fellows (GTF) teach English language courses in the curriculum of the GTI of Tokyo International University.  TIU has campuses in Kawagoe (Saitama) and Tokyo, Japan.  These positions will begin with employment in the American Studies Program at Willamette University, where GTFs will earn approximately the same starting salary as the Salem-Keizer School District, but for ten months, starting in June, with benefits, before going to Japan.

To learn more about these exciting positions, please go to the Graduate School of Education's website:  http://www.willamette.edu/gse/gtf/index.html