June 2013 — Seventy-one undergraduate students from colleges and universities across the United States have been named recipients of Bridging Scholarships for Study Abroad in Japan.
The winners will receive awards of up to $4,000 to assist with their living expenses while they study in Japan during the Fall 2013 semester or the 2013-2014 academic year. Since the program began in 1999, 1,370 scholarships have been awarded by the US-Japan Bridging Foundation to students studying abroad in Japan.
The Japan-US Friendship Commission, an independent federal agency promoting mutual understanding between the United States and Japan, in an effort to highlight public / private partnerships, initiated the Bridging Project scholarship program and established a 501(c)(3) private foundation, the US-Japan Bridging Foundation (www.bridgingfoundation.org), to accept contributions.
The goal of the Bridging Project is to promote study abroad in Japan by larger numbers of American undergraduate students. The scholarship program is administered by AATJ.
Contributors to the 2013 Bridging Scholarship fund include Aflac Japan, AIG Japan Holdings, Ronald and Maria Anderson, Bank of America-Merrill Lynch, Laurence Bates, Bloomberg LP, the Bridging Scholars Alumni Fund, Stephen and Sally Butters, Citigroup Japan, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu LLC, Estee Lauder, Exxon Mobil G.K., Bill Farrell, Robert Feldman, Daniel and Miyoko Foote, the Freeman Foundation, GE Corporation, Goldman Sachs Gives, the Robert Grondine Memorial Fund, Ken Hakuta, Duan and Myrle Hall, Ellen Hammond and Yasuo Ohdera, Norimasa and Atsuko Hirai, Barry Hirschfeld, Jr., Ichigo Asset Management, JP Morgan Japan, Shiro Kambara, Jonathan Kushner, Lockheed Martin, Kathy Matsui, Mission Value Partners, Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas), Morgan Stanley Japan, Oak Lawn Marketing, ORIX USA, Thierry and Yasko Porte, Brian Strawn, Paul Takanawa, George and Brad Takei, Temple University-Japan Campus, Gary Thomas, Toyota Motor Corporation, Kouji Yamada, and Christopher Wells.
Bridging Scholars hail from a variety of schools–public and private, large universities and small colleges–in 24 states. Their majors range from computer science to fine art, but they share a common interest in Japan, its language, and its culture. Their destinations also vary, from giant campuses in Tokyo to intimate consortium programs in rural Japan. A list of the recipients, their home schools, their majors, and their destination programs can be found below.
AATJ will accept applications until October 8, 2013, for the next group of Bridging Scholarships, for study in Japan beginning in Spring 2014. For more information on the scholarships or to receive application forms, visit studyabroad/scholarships.
For information on the US-Japan Bridging Foundation, visit www.bridgingfoundation.org.
Recipients of Bridging Scholarships for Study Abroad in Japan, Fall 2013
Sanaa ALI-VIRANI / Swarthmore College (PA) / Kyoto Consortium for Japanese Studies / Mythology and Japanese
Sarah ALLEN / Murray State University (KY) / Kansai Gaidai / Japanese
(AIG Japan Bridging Scholar)
Mikaela ARMENTA / University of New Mexico / Ryukoku University / Psychology and International Studies
Katherine BARTON / University of New Mexico / Ritsumeikan University / Asian Studies
(J P Morgan Japan Bridging Scholar)
Magdalyn BASSETTI / University of Florida / Kansai Gaidai / Anthropology
(Lockheed Martin Bridging Scholar)
Menissah BIGSBY / University of California, San Diego / International Christian University / Philosophy
Ella BONAH / Spelman College (GA) / Tsuda College / Mathematics & Engineering
(Lockheed Martin Bridging Scholar)
Arielle BREEN / Central Michigan University / Nara University of Education / Journalism
Kelsey BURGESS / Oklahoma State University / Kansai Gaidai / International Business
Gina CAMOZZI / University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point / Dokkyo University / Art History
(Bloomberg LP Bridging Scholar)
Patrick CARLAND / Emmanuel College (MA) / Osaka Gakuin (CET) / Communications
Jiaqi CHEN / University of Nevada, Reno / Kwansei Gakuin University / English Literature
Jasper CHENG / University of California, Berkeley / Keio University / Economics
(Morgan Stanley Bridging Scholar)
Kaitlyn CHOW / California State University, Monterey Bay / Tsukuba University / Environmental Science, Technology and Policy
(Lockheed Martin Bridging Scholar)
Patrick COMISKEY / University of Minnesota / Nanzan University (IES) / Japanese
(Oak Lawn Marketing Bridging Scholar)
Julianne CUNEO / University of California, Berkeley / Waseda University / Computer Science
(Exxon Mobil Bridging Scholar)
Charissa DASALLA / Florida State University / Hiroshima University / International Affairs
(AIG Japan Bridging Scholar)
Susan DAY / University of Findlay (OH) / Kibi International University / Japanese
Rachel DeGROFF / University of Memphis / J.F. Oberlin University / International Studies
Samuel DOAN / Lock Haven University (PA) / Nara University of Education / Secondary Education and History
(J P Morgan Japan Bridging Scholar)
Lauren DREW / Kalamazoo College (MI) / Waseda University / Psychology
(Bloomberg LP Bridging Scholar)
Jiali DUAN / University of Florida / Kansai Gaidai / Chemistry and Japanese
(Exxon Mobil Bridging Scholar)
Nicholas FLORES / University of Oregon / Waseda University / Communications and Japanese
(Bloomberg LP Bridging Scholar)
Emma HANASHIRO / Pitzer College (CA) / International Christian University / Asian Studies
Jasmine HENSLEY / Emory University (GA) / Kyoto Consortium for Japanese Studies / Environmental Studies
Gabriela HERNANDEZ / University of California, Irvine / Temple University – Japan Campus / Film and Media Studies
(Temple University – Japan Campus Bridging Scholar)
Christopher HOFFMANN / SUNY New Paltz / Kanazawa University / Asian Studies and Linguistics
(AIG Japan Bridging Scholar)
Clara HUR / North Central College (IL) / Kyoto Gakuen University / Japanese Studies
Chelsea JAMES / University of Washington / Kobe University / Marketing and International Business
Karissa JENKINS / University of Richmond (VA) / Kansai Gaidai / English
Raiya JENSEN / University of Arkansas / Kansai Gaidai / International Business
(AIG Japan Bridging Scholar)
Rachel KEY / University of Colorado, Boulder / Doshisha University / History
Danica KIMBALL / University of Massachusetts, Amherst / Kwansei Gakuin University / Political Science
Lin KUO / University of Maryland / Keio University / Accounting
(Bank of America – Merrill Lynch Bridging Scholar)
Kelsey LECHNER / Indiana University / Nanzan University / Japanese
(Oak Lawn Marketing Bridging Scholar)
Carlos LOPEZ / California State University, Long Beach / Waseda University / Linguistics
(Bloomberg LP Bridging Scholar)
Heather LUECK / University of Wisconsin, Madison / Chiba University / Environmental Geography
(Exxon Mobil Bridging Scholar)
Heather MAIOLI / SUNY Buffalo / Konan University / Anthropology
Latesia MANUEL / Dartmouth College (NH) / Kanda University of International Studies / Asian and Middle Eastern Studies
Christine MATT / University of Pittsburgh / Nanzan University (IES) / Linguistics
(Oak Lawn Marketing Bridging Scholar)
Madison MEARS / University of Wisconsin, Madison / Keio University / Japanese
(J P Morgan Japan Bridging Scholar)
Astara MILLS / University of New Mexico / Ritsumeikan University / Studio Art
(J P Morgan Japan Bridging Scholar)
Halah MOHAMED / University of Toledo (OH) / Aichi University / Studio Art
Emma MURPHY / Mount Holyoke College (MA) / Associated Kyoto Program / Politics
(AIG Japan Bridging Scholar)
Andrew MUSICK / University of Hawaii, Hilo / University of the Ryukyus / Japanese Studies
Deanna NARDY / Columbia University (NY) / Kyoto Consortium for Japanese Studies / Japanese Literature
Kristin NECAISE / University of Florida / Aoyama Gakuin University / Linguistics
(Bloomberg LP Bridging Scholar)
Erik O’RILEY / Missouri University of Science and Technology / Tohoku University / Mechanical Engineering
(Lockheed Martin Bridging Scholar)
Hyun Young PARK / University of California, Berkeley / International Christian University / Media Studies
Hannah PERRY / Dartmouth College (NH) / Kanda University of International Studies / Linguistics
Kyle PHAN / University of New Mexico / Ritsumeikan University / Biology
(Exxon Mobil Bridging Scholar)
Alicia PLAMBECK / Temple University – Japan Campus / Communications and Media
(Temple University – Japan Campus Bridging Scholar)
Ivan REIHSMANN / Portland State University (OR) / Waseda University / Japanese
(Bank of America – Merrill Lynch Bridging Scholar)
Joshua REVIER / St. Olaf College (MN) / Nagoya University / Theater
Abigail ROOT / Central Washington University / Takushoku University / Asia Pacific Studies
(Morgan Stanley Bridging Scholar)
Alicia ROSE / George Washington University (DC) / Waseda University / International Affairs
(Bank of America – Merrill Lynch Bridging Scholar)
Samanta RUIZ / New Mexico State University / Nagoya University of Foreign Studies / Government
Holly SEELY / University of Puget Sound (WA) / Kanda University of International Studies (IES) / Japanese
Kaela SHIIGI / University of California, Berkeley / Tsuru University / Environmental Science
(Lockheed Martin Bridging Scholar)
Stefan SIDELNICK / University of Pittsburgh (PA) / Konan University / Japanese
(Oak Lawn Marketing Bridging Scholar)
Autumn SMITH / Wittenberg University / Nanzan University / East Asian Studies
(Oak Lawn Marketing Bridging Scholar)
Carleen SMITH / University of Findlay (OH) / Daito Bunka University / International Business
(Bank of America – Merrill Lynch Bridging Scholar)
Jonathan SMITH / University of Nebraska / Senshu University / Psychology
Phillip TAYLAN / University of California, Santa Barbara / Tohoku University / Chemical Engineering
(Exxon Mobil Bridging Scholar)
Julio TELLEZ-GONZALEZ / California State University, Monterey Bay / University of Shiga / Japanese
(J P Morgan Japan Bridging Scholar)
Solrun THORHALLSSON / Appalachian State University (NC) / Okayama University / Global Studies
Christopher TREVINO / Michigan Technological University / Japan Center for Michigan Universities / Sound Design
Axel URIE / University of Colorado, Boulder / Waseda University / Political Science & Economics
(Bank of America – Merrill Lynch Bridging Scholar)
Jonathan WALES / Texas Lutheran University / Kansai Gaidai / History
Derek YAMASHITA / University of California, Santa Barbara / International Christian University / Global Studies
(Robert Grondine Memorial Fund Bridging Scholar)
Hyunji YOON / University of Florida / Kansai Gaidai / International Studies
