The ability to think for oneself and the perseverance to see things through, honed through studying College of Economics are the driving forces behind my growth.
<2023 Student Award Winners>
Faculty College of Economics Department of Economics 3rd year
OVERTURE
Asahina won the top prize at an off-campus competition for a paper she wrote with her seminar team, and her achievements were recognized when she received the 2023 Student Award. She found university studies, which allow her to understand the workings of the world, "interesting," and this led to her high grades in both her studies and in her seminars. She has the ability to keep moving forward toward her goals without giving up, which enriches her university life.
To Mazuru Nakamura's seminar where you can seriously deepen your learning
Every New Year, I would watch the Hakone Ekiden with my family, and I was drawn to the dazzling figures of the runners who ran straight and hard, achieving amazing results, which is what sparked my interest in Aoyama Gakuin University. As I did not yet have a clear career plan during high school, I wanted to study economics, which is the foundation of society and life, and gain knowledge that could be used in a wide range of jobs, so I decided to enter the Faculty of College of Economics.
I had a strong desire to study diligently and grow at university, so I chose Professor Nakamura Mazuru 's seminar, where the seniors were earnestly deepening their studies toward their goals. When I took Professor Nakamura's "Economic Policy Theory I" class in my second year, I understood actual policies according to economic theory and acquired a way of thinking about economic policy while also taking up current topics. As someone who was originally interested in political science, I found the approach of economic policy studies, which grasps politics through logical economic thinking, very appealing, and this was a major factor in my decision to choose Nakamura's seminar.
The coveted top prize was won after a hard fight
One of the big events in the seminar is the "Student Gathering" competition hosted by the Public Choice Society. Seminar students from various universities compete with each other in papers and presentations on a common theme, and at the 26th competition, our team was able to win the grand prize. It was the first time in 12 years that Nakamura's seminar had won such a coveted award, and we were really happy about it.
When deciding on the topic of my thesis, I focused on the COVID-19 pandemic, which had a major impact on my own student life, and on digital government, which uses IT to improve convenience for citizens and streamline administrative work. While the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the importance of digitalizing government administration, confusion has arisen over online applications and payments for the special fixed-amount grant, exposing Japan's lag in digital government. In my thesis, I pointed out that if the government's current policies in response to this lag lead to greater standardization of administrative systems, the policy autonomy of each local government could be undermined, and I proposed the need for an administrative and financial system that realizes an appropriate division of roles between the national and local governments.
The most time-consuming and laborious part of writing the thesis was deciding on a direction by selecting and discarding a lot of information and the thoughts of the team. Once I set a goal, I am the type of person who will go all the way toward it, so I devoted myself to research and analysis without cutting corners in order to make a better thesis. However, for about two months, I was unable to decide on a topic, and I would write a little and then go back to square one. At that time, the topic changed every time I presented at the seminar, so I'm sure I must have worried my professor. I was sleep-deprived for six months until the thesis and presentation were completed, but I was able to see it through because of the strong will of all the team members to win the top prize and the accurate advice of Professor Nakamura and my seniors.
The joy we felt when the grand prize was announced was especially special because we had worked so hard. When the award was announced, we all jumped up and down in joy, and we ended up shouting out loud, so the security guards on campus came to check on us. It's a fond memory that I can laugh about now.
Related link: [College of Economics] Nakamura Mazuru Seminar (Department of Economics) wins the "2023 26th Public Choice Society Student Gathering Grand Prize (Kato Award)"
At the 2023 Student Awards Ceremony. Mr. Asahina is third from the right.
Making learning fun led to better grades
When we participated in the "Student Gathering", our team had the goal of "performing good research and aiming for the top prize". In my opinion, "good research" is interesting, realistic and logical research, and the reason we focused on futuristic and new digital government is because we wanted to write an "interesting" paper that would catch everyone's attention and pique their interest. This sense of "interesting" is something I have always cherished.
I've loved studying since high school, but at university I found it interesting to learn new knowledge that I hadn't known before, and I was able to maintain my interest while taking classes. At university, it's not uncommon for the content you learn in one class to not end there, but to be linked to various other classes. I love the moment when my learning suddenly expands and becomes many times more interesting, and I think this is the greatest attraction of studying at university.
In addition, because I entered the university through a designated school recommendation, I studied hard every day with the thought of "I want to achieve good results for the juniors of my high school who will be aiming for Aogaku Gakuin next." As a result, the Nakamura seminar team won a student award, and I personally received the highest award for academic achievement for two consecutive years, which motivated me more than ever.
My experience in the Philippines shaped my character
I became interested in street children in the Philippines after taking the "Life, Women and Society" class in the "The Aoyama Standard" course in my second year, and participated in a study tour to the Philippines, which was an unforgettable experience. I visited shelters run by local NGOs, observed life and education in the slums, and interacted with the children.
I was shocked by the local situation, which I never see in my daily life in Japan, but seeing the harsh reality that I thought only existed on TV changed my perspective, and I am grateful to have had this experience as a student. From now on, as a person, I would like to find ways to contribute to the happiness of the children I met in the Philippines and take action.
In the Philippines. Asahina is second from the left.
As for extracurricular activities, I belong to the women's lacrosse club, which I play in five days a week. I practice with the club in the morning, then go to university and attend classes every day, but it doesn't bother me because my life is well-balanced and I think that if I didn't have club activities, I probably wouldn't have been able to study as hard.
With fellow members of the women's lacrosse club. Ms. Asahina is on the far right.
Aogaku 's environment allows you to pursue your interests
In Aogaku 's Faculty of College of Economics, many classes and seminars require not only input but also output. I feel that by repeating this, I was able to improve my ability to read and understand materials and literature and to form my own opinions. The learning environment, which allows students to pursue their interests, was a great help. When I went to ask questions after class, all the professors were very kind and helpful in helping me out. When I didn't understand something about writing a thesis for the "Student Gathering," I used the syllabus to find a professor who specializes in that field and asked him a question, and he took the time to answer our questions carefully.
In Professor Nakamura's laboratory
During my three years at university, I have spent each day working hard at the things in front of me. I believe that the fact that I have been pushing myself towards my goals in my studies and extracurricular activities will support me in the future. In my final year as a student, I would like to share my successes and failures with my juniors in seminars and clubs, and leave a legacy for the next generation.
Message from Professor Nakamura
Message
In the seminar, we use external activities such as inter-school debates and participation in academic conferences with the aim of students growing together through presentations and discussions. Mr. Asahina's generation was forced to take online classes during the precious period from the third year of high school to the first year of university, and was not blessed with opportunities to collaborate or exchange opinions. Despite this, when creating joint academic papers and presentation videos, while his awareness of the issues remained constant, he switched to other perspectives when he got stuck on developing his argument, and I was impressed by the number of drawers he had. I think that the effort many times greater than the finished text led to the evaluation. Mr. Asahina was also actively involved in activities outside of the seminar, and he must have had difficulty managing his time. He prioritized at his own responsibility, never made excuses, and dealt with everything with all his might. We hope that he will soar into society with "passionate feelings and a cool head," which is also the motto of the Faculty of College of Economics.
*The links to each subject's "Course Content Details" are for the 2023 academic year.
College of Economics Department of Economics
The economy is what enables people to survive, and it is based on a variety of factors. Therefore, understanding it requires a broad perspective. Aoyama Gakuin University 's College of Economics is a place to study this economy, and has accumulated research on a variety of themes. It aims to foster the ability to understand the essence of the economy and act logically, with the aim of creating a fair society.
The subject of economics covers the whole of society, including labor, entertainment, education, and healthcare. In Department of Economics, students cultivate a flexible perspective on society as a whole and seek ways to create a better economic system. Based on the traditional system of "theory, policy, and history," students acquire a wide range of liberal arts and specialized knowledge in a comprehensive manner. Students learn about the efficiency of resource allocation and develop the "ability to analyze independently," "flexible thinking," and "ability to act" so that they can contribute to the realization of a more fair society.
