Japanese Delegation Visits UMass Boston to Exchange Best Practices in Student Disability and Health Services
In May, ICI’s Dr. Heike Boeltzig-Brown, Senior Manager of International Partnerships, hosted a delegation from Japan at UMass Boston. The 4-person delegation represented Gifu University, Ritsumeikan University, and the Tokyo Institute of Technology. Some of these delegates had previously participated in the Leadership Institute on College Students with Disabilities in Higher Education in Japan, an ICI project funded by the Nippon Foundation, that trained Japanese university disability and career professionals in supporting students with disabilities to obtain employment after graduation. Dr. Boeltzig-Brown led the project.
Japanese delegates engaged in an exchange with Hannah Kaplan Huynh, Assistant Director of the Ross Center for Disability Services (top right) and her colleague Katie Raddatz, Coordinator of Accommodations and Services (top left).
During their visit, the delegation met with Hannah Kaplan Huynh, Assistant Director of the Ross Center for Disability Services, and her colleagues. They exchanged best practices in supporting students with disabilities and coordinating with health and counseling services. The Japanese delegates presented on the state of disability, health, and counseling services for Japanese college students with disabilities. Huynh expressed interest in continuing collaboration with the Japanese delegation through the ICI.
Group photo of the Japanese delegates with Joyce Morgan, Director of the Ross Center for Disability Services (left) and Hannah Kaplan Huynh, Assistant Director (center), and ICI staff Dr. Heike Boeltzig-Brown (in the back, wearing a red top).
In addition to meeting with the Disability Services team, the Japanese delegates also had the opportunity to consult with staff from Health Services and the Counseling Center. Center Director Dr. Kimberly Santora and Staff Psychologist Zeljka Mileusnic met with the delegation to discuss approaches and services their departments provided to students before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The delegates were able to tour the facilities, gaining further insights into UMass Boston’s student support systems.
From left to right: ICI staff Dr. Heike Boeltzig-Brown (red top), Ms. Diane Pankow, Director of General Medicine & Nurse Practitioner at UMass Boston Health Services (white top), Dr. Katsumi Nakagawa, Dr. Kimberly Santora, Director of the UMass Boston Counseling Center (black-white jacket), Mr. Taku Fukao, Dr. Ryo Horita, Dr. Katsuhiro Yasumi (back), and Ms. Zeljka Mileusnic, Staff Psychologist (yellow blouse).
Overall, the visit gave the Japanese delegation an opportunity to learn from UMass Boston’s experiences and expertise in supporting students with disabilities and coordinating with health and counseling services. We look forward to continuing our partnership and opportunities for shared learning about disability with the Japanese delegation.