TOMODACHI Sumitomo Corporation Scholarship Program: Conducting the Award Ceremony and Training
On July 4, 2024, the TOMODACHI Sumitomo Corporation Scholarship Program post study abroad presentation and award ceremony was held, attended by scholarship recipients and members of involved.
At the presentation session, ten 10th-cohort students who began their studies abroad in the fall of 2023 and returned in the summer of 2024 gave presentations in English about their experiences during their studies in the U.S. and their roles in U.S.-Japan relations. Kotono Shimizu from the School of International Liberal Studies at Waseda University stated that she had been studying the U.S. Constitution and the relationship between racial minorities and the law even before her study abroad. Her interest deepened through specialized courses and opportunities to talk with professors including practicing lawyers at New York University. She also said that “through internships and the program’s East Coast training session, as well as meeting various people and gaining new insights, there have been opportunities to think about my future. I want to continue valuing encounters with people.”
Following the students’ presentations, Ms. Makiko Eda, Executive Officer, Chief of Sustainability, DE&I Officer, Chief Administration Officer, and Chief Compliance Officer of Sumitomo Corporation, and Mr. Masahiro Ikeno, Executive Director of the U.S. Japan-Council (Japan), provided comments on the presentations.
In the subsequent Award Ceremony, Mr. Shingo Ueno, Representative Director, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Sumitomo Corporation, and Mr. Henry Seiichi Takata, Representative Director of the U.S. Japan-Council (Japan), offered words of encouragement to the students. After Mr. Ueno presented certificates, the ten 11th-cohort students, who will begin their studies abroad this fall, each expressed their goals in English. Yuta Inoue from the School of Law at Waseda University, who is going to study international security at the University of Washington, stated that “I want to deepen my knowledge of international security and human security in the U.S., a multicultural nation accepting many immigrants and coexisting with various races.” He also expressed his aspiration, “I want to demonstrate leadership among students with different values.”
On the following day, July 5, all the 10th- and 11th-cohort students participated in a training session. After an icebreaker, they discussed the most important things in life. Additionally, the 10th-cohort students shared both their enjoyable and challenging experiences during their study abroad as well as advice on living in the U.S. with the 11th-cohort students, fostering deeper exchanges between cohorts. The 11th-cohort students also met their mentors, who will support them during their studies abroad, and expressed their expectations for the upcoming journey. It is anticipated that these students will gain many experiences through their study abroad in the U.S. and become strong bridges between Japan and the U.S.
