DECEMBER 15, 2015 – Twenty-five 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 Spring 2016. Since 1999, 1,643 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 to date for the 2015-2016 academic year scholarships include The Freeman Foundation; Aflac Japan, AIG Holdings KK, Amway Japan G.K., Ronald and Maria Anderson, Bloomberg L.P., Paul Clawson, Webster Coates, Neal and Heather Cox, Estee Lauder K.K., Exxon Mobil G.K., Robert and Mary Feldman, Yoshiaki Fujiki, the Robert Grondine Memorial Scholarship Fund, Ellen Hammond and Yasuo Ohdera, Harry and Yumiko Hill, Deborah Ann Howard, Ichigo Asset Management, the Japan Foundation, Alice Karsevar, Stephanie Klapper, Lockheed Martin Global, Inc., Mission Value Partners, Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas), Morgan Stanley Japan, Jason Mortimer, Richard Mosher, Daniel Nelson, Anne Nishimura Morse, Robert and Janette Noddin, Oak Lawn Marketing, ORIX USA Corporation, T.J. Pempel, Susan Pharr and Robert Mitchell, Jay Ponazecki, Thierry and Yasko Porté, Chris Quackenbush, Bradley Ramos, the Roche Family Foundation, Len Schoppa, Megan Schuffreider, David Sneider, George and Brad Takei, Temple University-Japan Campus, Toyota Motor North America, the U.S.-Japan Council-TOMODACHI Initiative, and Meryl Waldo.
Bridging Scholars hail from a variety of schools–public and private, large universities and small colleges–in 14 states. Their majors range from neurobiology to English literature, 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 April 2016 for the next group of Bridging Scholarships, for study in Japan beginning in Fall 2016. 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
Spring 2016
Laura ABBOTT / Washington State University / Nanzan University (IES Abroad) / English and Japanese
Alesha ALEXIS / Juniata College (NY) / Kansai Gaidai University / Psychology
Nathan BALL / University of Cincinnati (OH) / Coop Program in Kurashiki / Mechanical Engineering
Elias BRINKMAN / University of Tulsa (OK) / Waseda University / Digital Media
Christopher CROWE / University of Virginia / Waseda University / Biology and Japanese
Marisa DRANGE / University or Minnesota / Sophia University / Global Studies
Juliet FIGUEROA / Seton Hall University (NJ) / Sophia University / Asian Studies
Jessica HERB / Chapman University (GA) / Temple University Japan / Digital Arts
Ariqa HERRERA / American University (DC) / Ritsumeikan University / International Relations
Tiffany KELLY / Oklahoma State University / Kansai Gaidai University / Political Science
Lois KIM / Hollins University (VA) / Kansai Gaidai University / International Business and Dance
Sophia MYERS-KELLEY / Hamline University (MN) / Akita International University / Sociology
Nathan NAVARRO GRIFFIN / University of Nevada, Reno / Kwansei Gakuin (USAC) / Computer
Science and Engineering
Sally NGO / Pennsylvania State University / Kanda University of International Studies (IES Abroad) /
Bio-behavioral Health
Jason NOMBURG / University of California, Santa Barbara / Osaka University / Biology
Briar PELLETIER / University of Maine / Hirosaki University / Art History
Errol PHALO / Macalester College (MN) / Sophia University (CIEE) / International Studies and Japanese
Grant POTTER / University of Nebraska / Sophia University (CIEE) / Art
Kevin Riley PREDUM / University of California, Berkeley / Meiji Gakuin / Anthropology
Brendan SUMEERSARNAUTH / Eastern Connecticut State University / Musashi University /
Environmental Earth Science
Yuta TERASAKI / University of Southern California / Sophia University (CIEE) / Global Business
Jennifer TRELOGGEN / Oklahoma City University / Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University / Economics
Sophia WARREN / California State University, Long Beach / KCP International Language Institute / Film
Elena WOO / University of California, Davis / Osaka University / Environmental Toxicology
Emily YOCOM / Pennsylvania State University / Kanda University of International Studies (IES Abroad) /
Global & International Studies and Business
