Students from the Chang Gung University of Science and Technology Visit UW
“Why is mental illness stigma different in Western and non-Western cultures?” “If you could give one practical suggestion to nursing students about reducing stigma in mental healthcare, what would it be?”
On a beautiful sunny day on February 12th, 2026, a group of undergraduate students majoring in nursing, cosmetic science, and nutrition at the Chang Gung University of Science & Technology (CGUST) asked these thought-provoking questions to Dr. Chen and Dr. Niitsu (Photo 1). Dr. Lillian Chen is the Associate Director of the Counseling Center at the University of Washington (UW) Bothell. Dr. Kosuke “Ko” Niitsu is an Associate Professor in the School of Nursing & Health Studies at UW Bothell, and he also serves as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner in the Counseling Center at UW Bothell. Drs. Chen and Niitsu were invited to serve as guest lecturers on culture and mental health.
CGUST students reflected on what culture is and which culture(s) they belong to, and they considered how culture may influence mental health (Photo 2). They also actively discussed how stigma may affect help-seeking behaviors and wondered how the term “stigma” might be translated into their and other languages. Because both Drs. Chen and Niitsu are former international students (Dr. Chen from Taiwan and Dr. Niitsu from Japan), CGUST students asked questions, such as “What is the biggest challenge you have faced as an international student?” and “As a bilingual professional, what challenges do you see the most often when people try to express emotions or mental health concerns in a second language?” Although English is not the native language, CGUST students actively spoke up and participated in discussions in English (Photo 3).
A total of 18 CGUST students visited the University of Washington by invitation from the International & English Language Programs (IELP) department at UW Continuum College (UWC2). The IELP department at UWC2 organizes exchange programs for international students and visitors focusing on a variety of different topics, including business & entrepreneurship, global affairs, and American culture, as well as specialized topics, such as the English Communication for Nurses (COMNURS) program attended by the CGUST students. The COMNURS program is a short-term (3 week) program combining classroom instruction in health sciences-related English language curriculum, with guest speaker activities and site visits to various UW medical facilities on and around the main UW-Seattle campus.
Curtis Cortelyou, IELP Program Manager, stated, “The English Communication for Nurses program is a wonderful opportunity for our guests from Taiwan to improve their English language skills, while also learning more about health care and nursing practices in the United States through hands-on site visit and guest speaker activities. The students also have a chance to learn a little bit about life here in Seattle and the Pacific Northwest through sightseeing and cultural events, and experience American family life by staying with local host families.”
Rachel Goodrich, IELP instructor, added, “As an English communication course, the students are given a lot of time to engage through class discussion, different medical scenario skits, and reflection. In the final days of the course, they have worked on a group presentation and are encouraged to teach their classmates new ways of thinking of the medical profession. It is heartwarming to see the students grow in confidence of both their English and medical professional skills. And it seems clear they have made lasting friendships with their classmates!”.
One of the CGUST program coordinators, Yi-Ching Lee, extended her heartfelt thanks to Dr. Chen and Dr. Niitsu for sharing their insights and providing students with an opportunity to gain an understanding of the intersection of culture and mental health.