Post by Kotaro Ogawa

A Heartfelt Wrap of Chapter 1 in Canada: Volunteer Journey Last but not least, my volunteer experience has been a cornerstone of my personal and professional growth in Canada. ​Last summer, Adrian Cababat and I set out to revive the Seneca Japanese Association (SJA). Our initial goal was simple: to build a small, welcoming community for Japanese students and anyone interested in Japanese culture. ​What started as a small spark quickly grew into something much larger. With every event, our community expanded, and today, I am incredibly proud to say that the club has grown to over 200 members. ​Managing this growth required building a dedicated team, and I am endlessly grateful to my executive team, our volunteers, and every student who attended our events. I truly could not have done this without your passion and support! And here we have something to record, we won the Clubs of the year 2025/26🎉🎉🎉 ​To wrap up our journey, we hosted a traditional Japanese-style graduation ceremony (卒業式 - Sotsugyoshiki). It was a sentimental moment of farewell, and I hope everyone felt the unique cultural spirit we aimed to share. ​As I pass the torch, I am excited to see the team continue this momentum, collaborating with other departments, clubs, and the Seneca Student Federation (SSF) to keep the community thriving. ​Thank you for being part of this unforgettable chapter! 🌸 Special Thanks🙇: Rei Tang Hana Jung All volunteer members Mari Araki Calvin Kyle Ong Ako Yamamoto Mimi Suzuki and those I couldn't find on LinkedIn ... ありがとう！ ​#CommunityLeadership #SenecaPolytechnic #SJA #CulturalExchange #VolunteerExperience #StudentLife #Canada #Japan