U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy (left) speaks with students at TUJ’s front lobby after the session.
Students at Temple University, Japan Campus (TUJ) had a unique opportunity to meet with U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy on campus on August 9, 2024. During the session, they explored the importance of fostering relationships and maintaining social connections to enhance overall well-being. As the nation’s top public health advocate, the U.S. surgeon general is responsible for providing expert health advice and leading the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. Dr. Murthy has served as the 19th and 21st surgeon general under Presidents Barack Obama, Donald Trump and Joe Biden.
Eight TUJ students participated in a one-hour round-table discussion with Dr. Murthy, focusing on health topics, including strategies for managing loneliness. Reflecting on the meeting, students expressed how profoundly the experience impacted them. Arthur Pelletier, a sophomore majoring in political science, said the learning opportunities, particularly in understanding health prospectives applied in the United States. “It was such a privilege to meet with a high-level official,” he said. “I come from France and there were a lot of new prospectives I learned today. This opportunity made me realize the importance of maintaining good health.”
Similarly, Soren Dickson, a junior majoring in international affairs, had initially planned to travel abroad during Dr. Murthy’s visit. However, he decided to cancel his trip to attend the session — a decision he described as invaluable. Dickson described Dr. Murthy as “very warm and very inviting.” He emphasized the surgeon general was approachable and deeply caring, noting how quickly he put everyone at ease. He was particularly impressed by Dr. Murthy’s ability to connect on a personal level, describing him as more of a friend or teacher than a top U.S. official. The experience, he said, left a lasting impression.
Building on the positive feedback from students, Dr. Murthy himself reflected on the session: “Though from different cultures, the students at Temple University echoed the same sentiments I’ve heard from students across the U.S. – mental health is essential to our overall health. I’m grateful for the openness and vulnerability each student brought to our conversation. Sharing our struggles is part of how we care for our health as a whole. They want their peers to understand that asking for help isn’t selfish, and I couldn’t agree more.”
Temple Japan frequently invites distinguished government officials and foreign diplomats, offering students valuable opportunities to engage with influential public figures. Recent notable visitors include Senegalese Ambassador to Japan Jean-Antoine Diouf in April. Other prominent guests have included Noriyuki Shikata of the Cabinet Secretary for Public Affairs in the Prime Minister’s Office of Japan (September 2023), U.S. Deputy Commerce Secretary Don Graves (September 2023), U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel (February 2023), Indian Ambassador to Japan Sanjay Kumar Varma (October 2022), Charge d’affaires of Lithuanian Embassy Argimantas Misevicius (March 2022), and Ukrainian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Sergiy Korsunsky (February 2022).
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