Scholars on the TOMODACHI Sumitomo Corporation Scholarship Program Visit New York and Washington, D.C.

Three of the TOMODACHI Sumitomo Corporation Scholars who are currently studying in the U.S. for an academic year visited New York City and Washington, D.C. during the first week of January. This week-long leadership program is hosted and organized by Sumitomo Corporation and Sumitomo Corporation of the Americas (SCOA). The program provided the students with an opportunity to learn more about Sumitomo as a public trading company and it’s activities through meetings with executives across the company, as well as site visits to subsidiaries. Students did a homestay with SCOA executives, enjoying the experience of living with an American family. They also gave presentations about their experiences during the first semester in the United States and also visited Columbia University where they shared their ideas and solutions to problems Japan will face in their lifetime with the Director of the Center on Japanese Economy and Business. 

In the middle of the week, the group traveled to Washington, D.C. where they took part in activities with the U.S.-Japan Council (USJC). They met with USJC President, Irene Hirano Inouye and participated in a Young Professional and TOMODACHI Alumni Dinner as well as a breakfast roundtable where discussions included topics such as managing first impressions, overcoming struggles, following your passions, women in leadership, and future goals. They capped their visit off with hospitality dinners in the homes of USJC members. 

At week’s end, the students returned to New York where they celebrated the end of the program with a visit to the 9-11 Museum, dinner with NY-area USJC members, a closing dinner with SCOA guests and a Broadway show, Les Miserables. Students returned to their home campuses energized about the upcoming semester and excited about ways they can contribute to the U.S.-Japan relationship as part of the TOMODACHI Generation.

In March 2016 the remaining TOMODACHI Sumitomo Corporation Scholars will take part in a similar program that will also take place in New York and Washington, D.C. 

Quotes from the Participants:

“My overarching career goal is to provide immigrant children in Japan with linguistic support. This Scholarship Program, especially through the field week in the East Coast, has given me crucial chances to meet a number of professionals in international relations and education. With the support from this scholarship, I am increasingly motivated to work for U.S.-Japan relations as well as for the immigrants in need at school in the future.”

– Tomoko Oyama, Linguistics, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

 

“This week was the most impressive week in my life. Sumitomo Corporation and U.S.-Japan Council (USJC) organized great opportunities for us, and every meeting made me consider what I am able to do in order to contribute to the society in the future. The most memorable thing for me was meeting with Irene Hirano Inouye, the president of USJC. We discussed why the interests in the U.S.-Japan relationship are decreasing and how to encourage young Japanese to study abroad. Because of this discussion, I came to think I would like to do something to encourage science students to go abroad and interact with people from other backgrounds. I appreciated everything I experienced this week.”
– Natsumi Komatsu, Physics, Rice University