Students from Japan now have an increased opportunity to be part of the SUNY Old Westbury community.
University President Timothy E. Sams and Principal Madoka Sakurai of Yachiyo Shion Junior and Senior High School recently agreed to a cooperative relationship in which students from the school located in Yachiyo-city, Chiba, Japan, may apply for enrollment and be considered for acceptance into the university during their senior year of high school as long as their coursework and achievement requirements are fulfilled.
“You should expect that your students' lives will be fully enriched and that they'll have a great opportunity to not only get a top tier public education in the liberal arts tradition here, but they will be well taken care of,” President Sams said to Principal Sakura. “I want to assure you as well that the students who you've taken care of for years will have a fine extension of the fine education that you've provided them by sending them here.”
Supporting international partnership agreements such as this one reflects SUNY Old Westbury’s commitment to global learning, cultural understanding, and educational opportunity.”
-- Becky Evans, director of international admissions, marketing and student support
The five-year agreement is designed to create opportunities for students of Yachiyo Shion Junior and Senior High School to learn about university programs and initiatives, support future enrollment, and encourage cultural exchange and global engagement through collaborative activities and events.
“Supporting international partnership agreements such as this one reflects SUNY Old Westbury’s commitment to global learning, cultural understanding, and educational opportunity,” said Becky Evans, director of international admissions, marketing and student support. “These collaborations create meaningful pathways for students and educators to exchange ideas, perspectives, and experiences that enrich our campus community and prepare students to thrive in an increasingly interconnected world.”
During the 2025-2026 academic year, SUNY Old Westbury currently supports 45 international students from various regions, primarily from Asia, South America and Europe.
This marks the second global agreement announced by SUNY Old Westbury in the summer of 2026, following the June news of its partnership with The Indian Institute of Technology Bombay to develop new educational and research opportunities that would be offered on the Long Island, New York, campus.
Caption: SUNY Old Westbury President Timothy E. Sams (seated, left) shakes hands with Yachiyo Shion Junior and Senior High School Principal Madoka Sakurai after signing the agreement between the institutions. Looking on are (left to right): Bryan Terry, vice president for enrollment management and marketing, SUNY Old Westbury; Lisandra Ramos, Special Assistant to the President, Administration & Initiatives, SUNY Old Westbury; Jo-Ann Robinson, executive vice president and chief of staff, SUNY Old Westbury; David Lanoue, provost, SUNY Old Westbury; and Tomoyuki Kaneko, Vice Principal, Yachiyo Shion Junior and Senior High School.