July 15, 2018 – Eighty-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 $2,500 to assist with their expenses while they study in Japan in Fall 2018 and academic year 2018-2019. Since 1999, 1,863 scholarships have been awarded by the US-Japan Bridging Foundation.
The Japan-US Friendship Commission, an independent federal agency promoting mutual understanding between the United States and Japan, initiated the Bridging Project scholarship program and established a 501(c)(3) private foundation, the U.S.-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 the American Association of Teachers of Japanese, which promotes education in Japanese language, literature, and culture.
Contributors for the 2018-2019 academic year scholarships include American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ), Aflac Japan, AIG Japan Holdings KK, Amway Japan G.K., Bloomberg News Japan, ExxonMobil G.K., The Freeman Foundation (lead sponsor), Yoshiaki Fujiki, Ichigo Asset Management, Ltd., Ira Wolf Memorial Scholarship Fund, Japan Foundation, Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission, J-Prep/J Institute, Inc., Lockheed Martin Global, Inc., Mission Value Partners, Morgan Stanley MUFG, Nike, Oak Lawn Marketing, ORIX Americas Miyauchi Charity, T.J. Pempel, Robert Grondine Memorial Scholarship Fund, Roche Family Foundation, Temple University-Japan Campus, Toyota Motor North America, the U.S.-Japan Council TOMODACHI Initiative, Toyota North America, Adam Wolf.
Bridging Scholars hail from a variety of schools–public and private, large universities and small colleges–in 32 states. Their majors range from neuroscience and chemistry to fine arts and music, but they share a common interest in Japan, its society, and its language and culture. Their destinations also vary, from giant campuses in Tokyo to small colleges in rural Japan. A list of the recipients, their schools, their destination programs, and their majors can be found below.
Applications will be accepted in Fall 2018 for the next group of Bridging Scholarships, for study in Japan beginning in Spring 2019. For information on the scholarships and to access application form, visit the Bridging Project online at www.aatj.org/studyabroad/japan-bridging-scholarships.
For information on the Bridging Foundation, visit www.bridgingfoundation.org.
Recipients of Bridging Scholarships for Study Abroad in Japan
Fall 2018
Francesca ADAMSKI / Baruch College, CUNY / Waseda University / Political Science; Sociology
[Freeman Foundation Bridging Scholar]
Benjamin AIROLA / Michigan State University / Waseda University / Japanese; Linguistics
[AIG Bridging Scholar]
Jonnalyn ALVES / Honolulu Community College (HI) / Niigata Prefecture Exchange / Communication
[TOMODACHI Bridging Scholar]
Brittany AMANO / Duke University / International Christian University / Public Policy [Freeman
Foundation Bridging Scholar]
David ANDERSON / Middlebury College / International Christian University / Japanese Studies
[Freeman Foundation Bridging Scholar]
Kendell ARI / University at Binghamton (SUNY) / Kokugakuin University / Japanese Studies
[AIG Bridging Scholar]
Brittany BARDSLEY-MARCIAL / Hawaii Pacific University / Nagoya University of Foreign Studies /
Political Science [Freeman Foundation Bridging Scholar]
Emma-Leigh BLUNDELL / Montana State University / Rikkyo University / Asian Studies [Freeman
Foundation Bridging Scholar]
Rhiannon BOWEN / University of Washington / Nanzan University / Japanese [Freeman Foundation
Bridging Scholar]
Caralee CASTO / Marshall University (WV) / Kansai Gaidai / International Affairs; Japanese [Morgan
Stanley Bridging Scholar]
Kaleo CHAN / University of Washington / Kyushu University / Linguistics; Japanese [Freeman
Foundation Bridging Scholar]
Thomas CHARNEY / Michigan State University / Japan Center for Michigan Universities / Plant Biology
[Exxon Mobil Bridging Scholar]
Taylor CHECKETTS / University of Utah / Waseda University / International Studies; Physics &
Philosophy [Ira Wolf Memorial Bridging Scholar]
Emily CLEMENTS / Marshall University (WV) / Chukyo University / International Relations; Japanese
[Freeman Foundation Bridging Scholar]
Abigale CONNOR / University of Massachusetts, Amherst / Kyoto University of Foreign Studies /
Illustration
Matthew COOPER / Wichita State University (KS) / Kansai Gaidai / English [Freeman Foundation
Bridging Scholar]
Johnna CRAWFORD / Northern Kentucky University / Musashi University / Media Informatics [Exxon
Mobil Bridging Scholar]
Alexis CRUMP / University of Mount Union / Kansai Gaidai / Japanese [Freeman Foundation Bridging
Scholar]
Starlyn CROUSSETT / Temple University (PA) / Temple University Japan / Communications
[Freeman Foundation Bridging Scholar]
Arthur DAI / Knox College (IL) / Waseda University / Neuroscience [Exxon Mobil Bridging Scholar]
Marquis DALY / Georgia State University / Soka University / Psychology [Lockheed Martin Bridging
Scholar]
Madison DELRUSSO / University of North Carolina, Greensboro / Ritsumeikan University / English
[Freeman Foundation Bridging Scholar]
Janessa DODSON / Earlham College (IN) / Waseda University / Japanese Studies [TOMODACHI
Bridging Scholar]
DeQuan DOUGLAS / Hofstra University (NY) / Sophia University (CIEE) / Computer Science; Japanese
[Lockheed Martin Bridging Scholar]
Melissa DUCHAN / Brooklyn College, CUNY / Seinan Gakuin / Political Science
Andrew EDWARDS / Michigan State University / University of the Ryukyus / Japanese [JUSFC Bridging
Scholar]
Gillian ELDER / Oakland University (MI) / Nanzan University / Japanese [Oak Lawn Marketing Bridging
Scholar]
Carlos GARCIA / Carleton College (MN) / Doshisha University (AKP) / Computer Science [Freeman
Foundation Bridging Scholar]
Florence GO / Denison University (OH) / Nagasaki University of Foreign Studies (USAC) / East Asian
Studies [Freeman Foundation Bridging Scholar]
Hannah GREEN / University of Memphis (TN) / JF Oberlin University / ESL; Japanese [Freeman
Foundation Bridging Scholar]
Bethany HARRIS / University of San Diego / Temple University Japan Campus / History
Omar HERNANDEZ RODRIGUEZ / Brandeis University / Osaka Gakuin (CET) / Anthropology;
International Studies [Freeman Foundation Bridging Scholar]
Kaitlin HUNT / Central Washington University / Nagasaki University of Foreign Studies (USAC) / Japanese
Kanako ICHIKAWA / University of Massachusetts, Amherst / International Christian University / Japanese;
English Education [AIG Bridging Scholar]
Bonnie JIN / Johns Hopkins University (MD) / Waseda University / International Studies [TOMODACHI
Bridging Scholar]
Scott JOHNSTON / Nebraska Wesleyan University / Kwansei Gakuin / Psychology [Exxon Mobil Bridging
Scholar]
Joshua KERY / Carnegie Mellon University (PA) / Temple University Japan Campus / Art [Temple
University Japan Campus Bridging Scholar]
Mallory KOEPKE / University of Toledo (OH) / Aichi University / Asian Studies [JUSFC Bridging Scholar]
Abigail KRUSKA / Portland State University (OR) / Aoyama Gakuin / International Studies; Japanese
[Morgan Stanley Bridging Scholar]
Xiao Peng LI / Union College (NE) / Kansai Gaidai / Chemistry [Freeman Foundation Bridging Scholar]
Leif LINCOLN / Canyon Crest Academy / Kieo University / Economics [Oak Lawn Marketing Bridging
Scholar]
Rachel MANCHE / University of Florida / Kansai Gaidai / Japanese [Freeman Foundation Bridging Scholar]
Danika MANGUIAT / University of Nevada, Las Vegas/ Kwansei Gakuin (USAC) / graphic design
Andrew McINTYRE / University of Nevada, Reno / Hosei University / Computer Science; Engineering
[Lockheed Martin Bridging Scholar]
Robert MELENDEZ / Portland State University (OR) / Waseda University / International Studies [AIG
Bridging Scholar]
Christopher MEIER / Illinois State University / Kansai Gaidai / International Business [Oak Lawn Marketing
Bridging Scholar]
Valerie MILLER / Virginia Wesleyan College / Rikkyo University / Communication [Freeman Foundation
Bridging Scholar]
Anissa MITCHELL / University of California, Riverside / Keio University / International Relations
[Amway Japan Bridging Scholar]
Catalina MONTELONGO / Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (AZ) / Osaka Electro-Communication
University / Simulation Science; Games & Animation [Lockheed Martin Bridging Scholar]
Lynnee MORROW-LAMPTON / University of California, Santa Barbara / International Christian University /
Art; Asian Studies [AIG Bridging Scholar]
Thomas NAPIERALSKI / Sacramento State University (CA) / Shinshu University / Japanese Studies
[Amway Japan Bridging Scholar]
Aimee NATHAN / Hawaii Tokai International University / Tokai University / Liberal Arts
Linda NGUYEN / Ohio State University / International Christian University / Accounting; Japanese
[Robert Grondine Memorial Scholar]
Andrew ORITA / Seattle University (WA) / Sophia University / International Studies [JUSFC Bridging
Scholar]
Megan PRIMAVERA / Florida State University / Hiroshima University / Computer Science; Japanese
[Lockheed Martin Bridging Scholar]
Jewel QUILATON / University of California, Berkeley / Meiji Gakuin / Sociology [Freeman Foundation
Bridging Scholar]
Matthew REINHOLD / University of Kansas / Nanzan University / Linguistics; Global Studies
[Freeman Foundation Bridging Scholar]
Elizabeth RIEGLER / Wesstern Michigan University / Doshisha University / Japanese [Freeman
Foundation Bridging Scholar]
Nikki SANDOVAL / University of Oregon / Waseda University / Japanese [JUSFC Bridging Scholar]
Kaitlin SCHOLAND / University of New Mexico / Ritsumeikan University / Biochemistry [Exxon Mobil
Bridging Scholar]
Martin SHAFFER / Bennington College (VT) / Kansai Gaidai / Music; Japanese [Freeman Foundation
Bridging Scholar]
Jacob SHIOHIRA / University of Nebraska, Lincoln / Senshu University / Computer Science;
Mathematics
Rebecca SIPPER / University of Massachusetts, Amherst / International Christian University / Japanese
[JUSFC Bridging Scholar]
Elana SKIER / University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee / Chiba University / Linguistics; Japanese [Freeman
Foundation Bridging Scholar]
Crystal SLAYTON / Eastern Michigan University / Japan Center for Michigan Universities / Japanese;
English Linguistics [Freeman Foundation Bridging Scholar]
Sabrina SPERL / Ohio State University / Rikkyo University / Japanese; Linguistics [Freeman Foundation
Bridging Scholar]
Alex STEPANEK / Elmhurst College (IL) / Kansai Gaidai / Computer Game & Entertainment Technology
[Oak Lawn Marketing Bridging Scholar]
Joseph SYNOSKI / Temple University (PA) / Temple University Japan Campus / Advertising [Temple University
Japan Campus Bridging Scholar]
Joseph TAN / University of Illinois / Konan University / Agribusiness [Oak Lawn Marketing Bridging
Scholar]
Gabriel TENAGLIA / Ursinus College (PA) / Akita International University / English [TOMODACHI
Bridging Scholar]
Nancy TRAN / Brandeis University (MA) / Kyoto Consortium for Japanese Studies / Economics; East Asian
Studies
Zena VUE / Augsburg University (MN) / Akita International University / Graphic Design; English
[Freeman Foundation Bridging Scholar]
Joseph WALTERS / University of Illinois / Konan University / East Asian Studies [Oak Lawn Marketing
Bridging Scholar]
Danika WEAVER / University of Alaska, Fairbanks / Akita International University / Linguistics [Freeman
Foundation Bridging Scholar
Kira WENCEK / University of Rhode Island / Kochi University / Computer Science; Art [Lockheed Martin
Bridging Scholar]
Elijah WILLIAMS / Cal Poly San Lius Obispo (CA) / Cal Poly Architecture Program / Architecture
Lucas WILLIAMS / University of California, Santa Barbara / International Christian University / Global
Studies [TOMODACHI Bridging Scholar]
Sequoia WRIGHT / University of North Carolina / International Christian University / Anthropology;
Japanese [Exxon Mobil Bridging Scholar]
Matthew YOU / Vanderbilt University (TN) / Sophia University (CIEE) / Economics; History [Freeman
Foundation Bridging Scholar]
Joyce YU / Baruch College, CUNY / Waseda University / International Business
Sylvia YU / Washington University in St. Louis / Kyoto Consortium for Japanese Studies / English
Literature
