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The Oregon Experience Program (OEP), offered by CASLS and the Office of International Affairs, is designed to help international students explore American university life, learn about topics related to sustainability and health, and connect with the culture and people of Oregon.

During the program, students:

• Develop intercultural connections
• Explore global issues
• Receive hands-on experience

OEP can be either two, three, or four weeks. Traditionally, the program is offered during the summer. This February, however, the program hosted its first three-week program during Japan’s spring break.

Twenty-five students from Nagoya University and Meiji Gakuin arrived in Eugene to learn about the University of Oregon and to study eco-friendly approaches to business, architecture, policy, economics, and daily life. Students’ learning culminates in a service learning project with a Eugene nonprofit.

“The students brought such positive energy!” East Asia Programs Director Li-Hsien Yang recounts. “We made some adjustments to the curriculum to enhance students’ experiences and brought in eighteen UO students to volunteer. The interaction between our program students and the UO students really made this year’s OEP special.”