Student Blog

4 min read

Hello! My name is Natsuki, and I am writing a series about my internship at APU’s social collaboration hub located inside CIC Fukuoka (Cambridge Innovation Center, Chuo Ward, Fukuoka City). In this article, I would like to introduce an event organized by our student internship team.

On January 19, the APU-CIC Office collaborated with alliz, a career consulting organization, to host an event at APU Green Commons.

Alliz is a community that connects students and early-career professionals with mentors to support career development. We first connected with alliz through CIC staff members, which eventually led to the realization of this collaborative event.

Preparation for the event took approximately three months, during which time we held weekly online meetings. While alliz mainly handled the event content and guest speakers, we, the student interns, were responsible for drafting the proposal, securing the venue, preparing equipment, and coordinating event operations. Since this was an official university event rather than a student-led activity, we also served as liaisons between the APU offices and alliz. In addition, we worked on poster design, student outreach and promotion, event photography, and panel discussion management.

On the day of the event, participants attended a panel discussion, followed by individual mentoring sessions for those students who had applied in advance. The event provided participants with a valuable opportunity to explore practical perspectives on career development.

Planning the Event: Lessons Learned and Challenges Faced

I also asked MAY MYAT NOE Khine (4th year, College of Asia Pacific Studies), a core member of the event project team and a fellow CIC intern, to reflect on the experience.

Khine shared some of the challenges faced during preparation:
“It took about one to two weeks to create the event poster. Also, because we did not have an opportunity to meet the guest speakers beforehand, things became a bit hectic on the day of the event, and I felt we could have provided better hospitality.”

Khine also reflected on collaboration with the university and external stakeholders:
“Serving as a coordinator and communicating with many stakeholders was challenging, but it helped me improve my facilitation skills and my confidence in speaking in front of people.”

Despite the challenges, Khine emphasized the value of the internship experience:
“I am truly glad I joined this internship. If I had not been accepted, I cannot imagine what the rest of my student life would have been like. As an international student, I especially appreciate being in an environment that welcomes me and encourages me to take on challenges freely.”

Khine also highlighted how the CIC environment itself has been inspiring:
“Before coming to CIC, I did not know much about coworking spaces. I was fascinated by how people from diverse backgrounds connect and create new events and projects together. In the future, I would like to help create similar spaces in my home country.”

Moving Toward Our Next Challenge

Currently, the three student interns are collaborating to plan multiple upcoming events. I am working with an organization that has developed an app designed to share accessible routes for wheelchair users and others with mobility needs. Together, we are planning a walking tour event in Beppu aimed at promoting APU’s commitment to Diversity & Inclusion.

Planning events that involve professionals and university faculty members has been a completely new experience for me during my four years at university. Although I often face challenges due to my limited experience, I have been able to receive valuable practical advice from the entrepreneurs and business professionals based at CIC, particularly regarding event promotion strategies and effective poster design. Access to this kind of support is one of the greatest advantages of interning at CIC.

When I first entered APU, I felt that I was mainly a recipient of its diversity policy. However, through organizing events, I now feel that I am contributing to creating and providing inclusive opportunities for others. This shift has helped me realize how much I have grown during my time at APU.

The event we are currently planning is scheduled to take place in March, just before my graduation. I look forward to continuing to dedicate myself to CIC activities and event planning in the months ahead.

Natsuki Aoki

Hello! I'm Natsuki, an APS 4th year majoring in International Relations. I hope to inspire you all by sharing my interesting experiences, new discoveries, and encounters at APU. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu!