December 20, 2009 — Eighteen 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 beginning in Spring 2010. Since 1999, 960 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 Spring 2010 scholarships include Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, The Freeman Foundation, JCC Fund, JP Morgan, the Japan–US Friendship Commission, Lockheed Martin, McDonalds Japan, Mitsubishi International Corporation, Morgan Stanley, Nomura Holding America, ORIX Corporation, Temple University–Japan Campus, Toyota Motor Corporation, and the Yashiro Charitable Trust.
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 Spring 2010 recipients, their home schools, their majors, and their destination programs can be found below.
For information on the Bridging Foundation, visit www.bridgingfoundation.org.
Blaise ADAMS (West Texas A&M University) History -> J.F. Oberlin [Obirin] University
Francine CHATELAIN (Brandeis University) Psychology -> Sophia University (CIEE)
Andra DENNETT (University of Maryland) Anthropology and Japanese-> Kansai Gaidai
Thao DINH (Michigan State University) Communicative Sciences and Disorders -> Japan Center for Michigan Universities
Brian HEISE (Fordham University) History -> Temple University – Japan Campus
Alice KARSEVAR (University of Washington) International Business -> Keio University
Jessica MECKLER (Temple University) English and Asian Studies -> Temple University – Japan Campus
Katherine MILLICAN (Colorado State University) English and History -> Yamagata University
Jennifer NULTY (University of Northern Iowa) Political Communication and Sociology -> Kansai Gaidai
Natassja PAL (Portland State University) Health studies -> Kansai Gaidai
Alexander PEGRAM (Middle Tennessee State University) Physics -> Seinan Gakuin
Francesca PERKINS (University of California, Riverside) Computer Engineering -> Tohoku University
Alexandra ROLAND (University of Miami) Journalism and Ecosystem Science -> Sophia University
Justine UNDERHILL (Georgetown University) Economics and Theater/Performing Arts -> Sophia University
Neal UNO (Rhode Island School of Design) Printmaking -> Kyoto Seika University
Erin WAYMIRE (Kansas State University) Anthropology -> Kansai Gaidai
Justin WEBER (University of Delaware) Communications -> Seinan Gakuin
Jacqueline ZAENGLE (University of Rochester) Chemistry -> IES Tokyo (Kanda University of International Studies
