U.S. Training and Report Out Session for Building the TOMODACHI Generation: Morgan Stanley Ambassadors Program
From August 4 to 20, 2024, the Building the TOMODACHI Generation: Morgan Stanley Ambassadors Program was held in Washington, D.C., with the participation of nine Japanese university students and five U.S. university students. It is a leadership program focused on learning about and developing cross-sector partnerships to strengthen civil society as a tool for addressing ongoing social challenges in developed nations such as the U.S. and Japan. It consisted of lectures, site visits, panel discussions, and interactive sessions with experienced professionals.
On August 8, during the first week, a panel discussion was held on “Understanding the Relationship Between Civil Society and the Private Sector.” Ms. Ann Bailey, Executive Director of Government Relations from Morgan Stanley, participated as a panelist and shared her insights on her current role, career path, and social issues. The participants actively asked questions at the Q&A session after the discussion addressed topics such as homelessness, mental health, and neurodiversity in the U.S.
In the second week, participants were divided into three teams to develop innovative civil society proposals for social issues. They presented their proposals to a panel of judges, with the winning team presenting a proposal on truancy in Tokyo titled “Tokyo Truancy Initiative (Empowering Every Student, Every Day).”
On August 20, the Japanese participants visited Morgan Stanley’s Tokyo office after returning from the U.S. and attended a report-out session. At the fireside chat with Mr. David Richards, Managing Director and Chief Administrative Officer at Morgan Stanley Japan, he encouraged the participants by highlighting the rapid development of technology in recent times and emphasizing that young people with a global perspective can become valuable assets. After that, participants shared their reflections on their experiences in the U.S. The team that won the U.S. presentation presented their project, with one of the team members saying, “I used to isolate myself in my shell. My professor encouraged me to learn communication and teamwork through this program, but in the first few days in D.C., I couldn’t contribute at all. However, towards the end of the program, I learned that it’s okay to rely on others, and I became able to communicate with my fellow program participants. More importantly, I was able to break out of my shell, and it feels good.” Several U.S. students also participated online and shared that they had built strong bonds with the Japanese participants through this program. The session concluded with a networking opportunity with Morgan Stanley staff members. Engaging in conversations with leaders from different backgrounds, participants were excited about developing their future careers.
