December 8, 2014 — Twenty-six 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 living expenses while they study in Japan during the Spring 2015 semester. Since 1999, 1,465 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, 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 American Association of Teachers of Japanese, a professional organization for teachers of Japanese language, literature, and culture.
Contributors to the Spring 2015 scholarships include The Freeman Foundation (lead donor); Aflac Japan, AIG Holdings KK, Ronald and Maria Anderson, Laurence Bates, Matthew Belisle, Estee Lauder K.K., Exxon Mobil G.K., Eric Feigenbaum, Robert Feldman, Richard Folsom, Anthony Gilmore, Kenji Govaers, the Robert Grondine Memorial Scholarship Fund, Gudni and Eiko Gudnason, Ellen Hammond and Yasuo Ohdera, Chris Herbert, Harry Hill, Barry Hirschfeld, Deborah Ann Howard, Ichigo Asset Management, the Japan Foundation, the Japan-US Friendship Commission, JP Morgan Securities Japan, Lockheed Martin Global, Inc., Jon Malamud, Roger McDonald, Arthur Mitchell, Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas), Morgan Stanley Japan, Maneesh Kalra, Robert and Janette Noddin, Oak Lawn Marketing, ORIX USA, Susan Pharr and Robert Mitchell, Jay Ponazecki, Tom Pederson, Thierry and Yasko Porte, Jay Sapsford, Hayashi Sasaki, John Sasaki, Taisuke and Catherine Sasanuma, Elliott Segal, Dennis Sheehan, Allan Smith, David Sneider, George and Brad Takei, Temple University-Japan Campus, Gary Thomas, Katsuhiko Tokita, Toyota Motor North America, and U.S.-Japan Council-TOMODACHI Initiative.
Bridging Scholars hail from a variety of schools–public and private, large universities and small colleges–in 19 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 tiny consortium programs in rural Japan. A list of the recipients, their schools, their destination programs, and their majors can be found below.
AATJ will accept applications until April 2015, for the next group of Bridging Scholarships, for study in Japan beginning in Fall 2015. For more information on the scholarships or to receive application forms, visit www.aatj.org/studyabroad/japan-bridging-scholarships.
For information on the US-Japan Bridging Foundation, visit www.bridgingfoundation.org.
Recipients of Bridging Scholarships for Study Abroad in Japan, Spring 2015
Deandra ALS / SUNY New Paltz / Meiji University / Psychology
Milo BARISOF / Pomona College / International Christian University / Asian Studies
Amanda BARNSTIEN / Colorado College / Waseda University / International Political Economy
Trevor BARTON / University of Montana / Sophia University / Japanese
Audrey BEARDEN /University of Hawai’i / Sophia University / molecular cell biology
Frances CHANG / Brandeis University / Kyoto Consortium for Japanese Studies / Psychology
Jane CLARK / Oberlin College / Associated Kyoto Program / Environmental Studies
Andrea DEAN / Appalachian State University / Kansai Gaidai / Public Relations & Japanese
Benjamin GHIGLIONE / Skidmore College / Sophia University / Education
Kimberly GLATZ / University of South Carolina / Kwansei Gakuin (USAC) / International Business
Laura HEYMAN / Agnes Scott College / Ritsumeikan University / Economics & Management
Courtney KEISECKER / SUNY New Paltz / Meiji University / English & Asian Studies
Pin-PIn LIAO / Villanova University / Sophia University (CIEE) / International Business & Marketing
Erin MAST / University of California, Davis / Kyoto Seika University / neurobiology
Christopher McNAMARA / DePaul University / Sophia University (CIEE) / Journalism
Matthew MOFFITT / Eastern Michigan University / Japan Center for Michigan Universities / Japanese
Emmeline MYSLIWIEC / Central Connecticut State University / Kansai Gaidai / Communication
Angelica NGUYEN / Santa Clara University / Sophia University / biology & public health
Nikki NGUYEN / Bentley University / Sophia University (CIEE) / Computer Information Systems
Kristy POISSON / Delaware Valley College / Sophia University / English Literature
Sethia SUMBHAV / Arizona State University / Tokyo International University / computer science
Andrew VILLARREAL / Texas State University, San Marcos / Meiji Gakuin / International Studies
Alyssa WALL / Carthage College / NRCSA Center, Fukuoka / Chemistry
Nicholas WARREN / University of Utah / University of Tsukuba / Psychology
Nicholas WATANABE / Lehigh University / Temple University, Japan Campus
Noe YOSHIOKA / University of Puget Sound / IES Tokyo / Economics, Business & Japanese
