2019 TOMODACHI Sumitomo Scholars Visit Washington, D.C. and New York City for a Week-Long Leadership Training Program

From January 6 to 10, 2020, five of this year’s TOMODACHI Sumitomo Corporation Scholarship Program scholars visited New York City, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C. for a week-long winter leadership program hosted by the Sumitomo Corporation and the Sumitomo Corporation of America (SCOA).

The scholars had opportunities to present their experiences studying abroad in the U.S. to representatives from SCOA, and to meet privately with the President, the Chief Financial Officer, and the Chief Administrative Officer of the company to share their current coursework and ambitions for the future.

The students visited Hartz Mountain Corporation, a SCOA subsidiary in New Jersey. They met with the sales and marketing team to learn how the company successfully targets the pet care market, before touring the R&D facility, where many of the products are developed. At Columbia Business School’s Center on Japanese Economy and Business (CJEB), the participants had lunch with Japanese Fellows who are currently conducting research at CJEB, and had the chance to meet with Dr. Hugh Patrick, Founder and Chairman of CJEB, to discuss the current economic landscape of Japan.

In Washington, D.C., the participants visited SCOA’s D.C. office to learn about the current political landscape of the United States, and USJC’s Washington headquarters to share and discuss their experience studying in the U.S. The intensive training program included a visit to the 9/11 Memorial Museum, and a staff-led tour of the U.S. Capitol. The students had a chance to interact with USJC members both in New York and Washington, D.C., as well as enjoy a Broadway musical. The program concluded with presentations from SCOA’s business and corporate groups, and a farewell lunch.

Ms. Nao Fujita reflected, “One of the most memorable lessons came from our meeting at Sumitomo Corporation of Americas, where we learned, ‘diversity is a tool, not a goal.’”  We learned that for businesses to succeed in the future, employee diversity and inclusion is essential.  For the first time, I saw not only a non-academic perspective, but also a practical way of thinking, where businesses appreciate diversity as it combines different sectors and bolsters their own values.  I was encouraged to see that this critical idea I have learned in university is also seen as necessary in business, where I hope to work in the future.”

Recruitment is now open for the TOMODACHI Sumitomo Corporation Scholarship Program 2020, click here for more details.