AN ALUMNUS and part-time faculty of the University of San Jose-Recoletos has qualified for the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology scholarship program of the Japanese government.

Engineer Varie John Orozco, an instructor at the Civil Engineering Department, will take part in one of the best Japanese government-subsidized scholarship programs for international students.

Orozco is studying in Japan for his master’s degree in Geotechnical Engineering at Hokkaido University.

His geotechnical engineering research focuses on new instrumentation techniques to measure soil deformation in lieu of conventional methods.

“Prior to this endeavor, he worked as a structural detailer right after graduation at a structural engineering firm which handles oil, gas petrochemical and steel infrastructure projects. He worked there for more than three years,” the university said.

Orozco shared that studying in Japan has not been easy because of the language barrier and cross-cultural differences.

“I had to fight the culture shock and adjust to the social norms and lifestyle of the Japanese. I have to withstand the homesickness and turmoil in the midst of the pandemic. But living in Japan made me grow in my profession and gave me a once in a lifetime opportunity, a step closer to the pedestal of success,” he said.

Orozco thanked the university, saying that USJ-R is a complete “nature-and-nurture hub” which played a vital role in his career.