Twitter • Instagram • LinkedIn • Threads • Facebook • Published 5/22/2024

The 2024 Ehime Prefectural International Center (EPIC) interns, Mr. Matthew Andres (UHM undergraduate student majoring in Business Management and minoring in Japanese) and Ms. Kaitlyn Tokunaga (UHM undergraduate student majoring in Accounting, Management Information Systems, and Japanese language) arrived safely in Matsuyama, Ehime prefecture on Sunday, May 19th, and have already reported to their first day of work (Monday, May 20th Japan time) and attended an orientation.

2024 EPIC Interns Matthew and Kaitlyn

Cute mascots!

Each year, EPIC interns act as goodwill cultural ambassdors, offering Hawaiʻi-related seminars to community groups and giving presentations about Hawaiʻi at schools and universities to schools in Ehime prefecture.

Before leaving for Ehime, Kaitlyn and Matthew paid their respects at the Ehime Memorial on Saturday, April 27, 2024.

The 2024 EPIC interns Matthew and Kaitlyn, together with 2023 EPIC interns Marques and Melody, and the President of the Japan America Society of Hawaiʻi, Ms. Reyna Kaneko (not pictured) at the Ehime Maru Memorial

Kaitlyn and Matthew will intern this summer through the end of July.