A group of students from Technos College in Tokyo, Japan, is visiting Hope College to learn more about athletic training.
The five students and their professor are spending April 21 through May 12 at Hope through the sponsorship of the athletic training program in the department of kinesiology at Hope. It is a visit that is benefiting guests and hosts alike, according to Dr. R. Richard Ray, who is a professor of kinesiology, athletic trainer and chairperson of the department at Hope.
"Athletic training is a relatively new profession in the Japanese health care system, and the study tour is intended to help introduce the students to U.S. models of sports health care services," Ray said. "The study tour is also of benefit to Hope students, several of whom are serving as translators and instructional aides in athletic training courses."
Hope and Technos College have had an exchange relationship, sharing academic prizes and visits, since 1992. Students and a faculty leader from Technos visit Hope each spring, and a professor and students from Hope visit Technos each June. Ray has visited Technos twice, including most recently as the college's faculty representative in 2005.