July 5, 2011 — Eighty-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 up to $4,000 to assist with their living expenses while they study in Japan during the Fall 2011 semester or the 2011-2012 academic year. Since 1999, 1,140 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 the Association of Teachers of Japanese, a professional organization for teachers of Japanese language, literature, and culture.
Contributors to the 2011-2012 scholarships include Amway International, Bloomberg LP, Chartis Insurance, Citigroup Japan, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, Exxon Mobil, the Freeman Foundation, Ichigo Asset Management, the JCC Fund, JP Morgan Japan, Lockheed Martin, Merrill Lynch, Mitsubishi International Corporation, Morgan Stanley Japan, Nomura Holding America, Oak Lawn Marketing, ORIX Corporation, Prudential Gibralter Financial Life Insurance Co., Temple University-Japan Campus, the Terasaki Foundation, Toyota Motor Corporation, and TransPacific Hawaii College.
Bridging Scholars hail from a variety of schools–public and private, large universities and small colleges. Their majors range from computer science to fine art, but they share a common interest in Japan, its language and 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.
For information on the Bridging Foundation, visit www.bridgingfoundation.org.
Recipients of Bridging Scholarships for Study Abroad in Japan, Fall 2011
Hector ARANZAZU / Central Washington University / Chukyo University (ISEP) / Electronic Engineering
(Lockheed Martin Scholar)
Derek ARTHUR / Columbia University / Kyoto Consortium for Japanese Studies / Comparative literature
Kenia AVENDANO-GARRO / University of Maryland / Keio University / Japanese
(Chartis Insurance Scholar)
Catherine BASS / University of Washington / Keio University / Japanese
(Chartis Insurance Scholar)
Markeith BEHANAN / University of Cincinnati / Nagoya University of Foreign Studies / Psychology
Greg BENNETT / North Carolina State University / Nagoya University / Mechanical Engineering
(Oak Lawn Marketing Scholar)
Marissa BLACK / University of Florida / Kansai Gaidai / Business Administration
(Morgan Stanley Japan Scholar)
Caroline BROWN / University of Illinois / Konan University / Anthropology
Tatiana CASSEL / Smith College / Associated Kyoto Program / East Asian Studies
Estefania CASTANEDA / San Diego State University / Aoyama Gakuin / Political Science and Philosophy
(J.P. Morgan Scholar)
Rachelle CHOUINARD / University of Chicago / Kyoto Consortium for / Japanese Studies / Political Science
Marc COLATRINO / Indiana University of Pennsylvania / Nagoya University / Asian Studies
(Oak Lawn Marketing Scholar)
Carisa CRITTENDON / Webster University (MO) / Kansai University / International Studies
Isabelle D’ARCY / Amherst College / Associated Kyoto Program / Asian Studies
Paul DARGAN / University of Oregon / Senshu University / Japanese
(Prudential Insurance Scholar)
Danielle DERCKS / Univ. of Wisconsin, Stevens Point / Nagasaki University of Foreign Studies / International Studies
Quoc DO / Temple University / Temple University – Japan Campus / Biology and Mathematics
(Temple University–Japan Campus Scholar)
Malcolm DOERING / Michigan State University / Japan Center for Michigan Universities / International Christian
/ Computer Science and Linguistics
Matthew DONOVAN / Bridgewater State University (MA) / Wakayama University / Computer Science
(Lockheed Martin Scholar)
Matthew ENLOW / University of Wyoming / Tohoku University / Computer Science and Mathematics
(Lockheed Martin Scholar)
Julianne FARRAR / Bowdoin College (ME) / Associated Kyoto Program / Asian Studies
Hillary FENS / Tufts University (MA) / Kyoto Consortium for Japanese Studies / Japanese
Julia FORD / University of Florida / Kansai Gaidai / Psychology
Zev FRIEDMAN / Texas Tech University / Osaka Gakuin (CET Academic Programs) / Mathematics and Computer Science
Claire FROELICH / University of Montana / Sophia University / Japanese
(Bloomberg LP Scholar)
Erik GABRIEL / University of Southern Alabama / KCP International / International Studies
(Prudential Insurance Scholar)
Dan GISEL / University of Idaho / Nagasaki University of Foreign Studies / International Studies
Mathieu GLACET / University of Texas, Austin / Iwate University / Chemistry and Japanese
(Lockheed Martin Scholar)
Aileen HADSELL / State University of New York, Purchase / Meiji University / Anthropology
(Amway Japan Scholar)
Laurel HARTMAN / San Jose State University / Kwansei Gakuin / Art History
Shelby Manami HUGUENARD / Univ. of California, Merced / International Christian University / Psychology
(Terasaki Foundation Scholar)
Casey JONES / Seattle University / Sophia University / Asian Studies
(J.P. Morgan Scholar)
Ross LANDERS / Western Michigan University / Keio University / English and Creative Writing
(J.P. Morgan Scholar)
Carly LAUFFER / University of Idaho / Toyo University / International Studies
(Chartis Insurance Scholar)
Kathleen LAWLER / Carthage College (IL) / NRCSA Kyoto Program / Communications and Japanese
Elizabeth LEE / Whitman College (WA) / Associated Kyoto Program / Asian Studies
Samantha LEE / Boston University / Kyoto Consortium for Japanese Studies / East Asian Studies
Danica LIM / University of Hawaii / Konan University / Japanese and Korean
(Prudential Insurance Scholar)
Samuel LOZOFF / Northwestern University / Waseda University / Sociology
(Bloomberg LP Scholar)
Jordan MADRID / Gonzaga University (WA) / Sophia University / Marketing
(J.P. Morgan Scholar)
Matthew MATSUYAMA / University of California, San Diego / Keio University / International Studies
(Terasaki Foundation Scholar)
Sean MATTIO / University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill / Osaka Gakuin (CET Academic Programs) / English and History
Anzia MAYER / Amherst College / Doshisha University / Asian studies
William McCARTY / University of Alabama / Meiji University /International Studies/
(Bloomberg LP Scholar)
Rena McCLEAREY / University of Oregon / Hokkaido University / Japanese and Asian studies
Marcin MICHNIOWSKI / University of Illinois / Konan University / Political Science
Micah MIZUKAMI / Willamette University / Tokyo International University / Japanese studies
(Terasaki Foundation Scholar)
Nadia NASIR / University of Maryland / Waseda University / Japanese
(Chartis Insurance Scholar)
Dustin NGUYEN / University of California, San Diego / Meiji Gakuin / Pre-Law
(Chartis Insurance Scholar)
Nichole NICKLAY / University of Michigan / Japan Center for Michigan Universities / Linguistics and Asian Studies
Erica NIEBAUER / California State University, Sacramento / Antioch Buddhist Studies / Humanities
Benjamin NORTON / University of Nebraska / Senshu University / International Business
(Prudential Insurance Scholar)
Gabrielle NYGAARD / Linfield College (OR) / Kanto Gakuin / Mass Communication
(Prudential Insurance Scholar)
Andres OLIVER / Emory University / Kyoto Consortium for Japanese Studies / Creative Writing
(Prudential Insurance Scholar)
Russell OTTALINI / University of Pittsburgh / Sophia University (CIEE) / Sociology
(Bloomberg LP Scholar)
Maylene PALUGOD / Arizona State University / Kyushu University / Japanese Studies
Kyley PANZER / Arizona State University / Nanzan University / Asian Languages
(Oak Lawn Marketing Scholar)
Jasmine PARK / Fort Lewis College (CO) / University of the Ryukyus / Chemistry
(Lockheed Martin Scholar)
Alex PINN / SUNY New Paltz / Meiji University / Marketing
(Amway Japan Scholar)
Mickey PLUNKITT / Purdue University / Nanzan University / Asian Studies
Sara PORTESAN / Whitman College (WA) / Associated Kyoto Program / Studio Art
Andrea POWELL / University of Florida / Kansai Gaidai / Political Science and Japanese
(Morgan Stanley Japan Scholar)
Gabrielle REINECKE / Cornell University / Kyoto Consortium for Japanese Studies / East Asian Studies
Adrian RODRIGUEZ / SUNY Oneonta / Seinan Gakuin / Computer Art
Jaime ROSENBERG / West Virginia University / Aichi Shukutoku University / International Studies
(Prudential Insurance Scholar)
Jeffrey RUSS / University of Iowa / Nanzan University / Japanese
Aya RYUZOJI / Purdue University / Tohoku University / Neurobiology and Physiology
(Terasaki Foundation Scholar)
Wilson SAYRE / University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill / Antioch Buddhist Studies / Philosophy
Chelsea SEEKINS / University of Hartford (CT) / Kansai Gaidai/ International Studies
(Prudential Insurance Scholar)
Jennifer SHIN / Boston College / Waseda University (SILS) / International Studies
(J.P. Morgan Scholar)
Tiffany SIMMONS / Georgia Southern University / Nagoya University of Foreign Studies / Fine Arts
(Oak Lawn Marketing Scholar)
David SORTO / University of Illlinois, Chicago / Temple University – Japan Campus / Electrical Engineering
(Temple University-Japan Campus Scholar)
Amy SU / University of Louisville (KY) / Ritsumeikan University / Marketing and International Business
(Prudential Insurance Scholar)
Katelyn TAMASHIRO / Linfield College (OR) / Kanto Gakuin / English
(Terasaki Foundation Scholar)
Salina TEETERS / University of Nebraska / Nanzan University / International Studies
Anna THORNER / Northern Kentucky University / Gifu University / International Studies
(Oak Lawn Marketing Scholar)
Dane TSUKAYAMA / University of Hawaii / Nanzan University / Asian Studies
(Terasaki Foundation Scholar)
Vincent VARSALONA / Salisbury University (MO) / Kwansei Gakuin / Media Production
Alesha VERTREES / University of Colorado / Kansai Gaidai / International Affairs
Christopher WEGENAAR / CUNY College of Staten Island / Seinan Gakuin / Linguistics and Japanese Studies
Tim WILKINS / University of Nebraska / Senshu University / Music Composition and Music Technology
(Prudential Insurance Scholar)
Sarah WILLEY / University of Oklahoma / Ritsumeikan APU / Political Science and History
(Prudential Insurance Scholar)
Kai YOSHIOKA / Willamette University / Tokyo International University / Japanese Studies
(Terasaki Foundation Scholar)
