Bridging Scholarships Fall 2024 Recipients

JULY 2024 – Sixty-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 ranging from $2,500 to $4,500 to assist with their expenses while they study in Japan for a semester or an academic year beginning in Fall 2024). Since 1999, more than two thousand scholarships have been awarded by the US-Japan Bridging Foundation (www.bridgingfoundation.org). 

Recipients of Bridging Scholarships for Study Abroad in Japan, Fall 2024 and Academic Year 2024-2025

Adedotun ADEDOKUN / Rutgers University / International Christian University / Japanese, Communications
Alexis AGUILAR / DePaul University / Temple University, Japan / Computer Science
Chisom AKPOM / The University of Chicago / Kyoto Consortium for Japanese Studies / Computer Science, East Asian Languages and Civilizations
Elizabeth ANTWI / DePaul University / Temple University, Japan / Art
Emilee BATES / University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign / Konan University / Interdisciplinary Health Sciences
Jimmie BRANNEN / Austin College / Nanzan University / History
Nikola BYRNES / DePaul University / Ritsumeikan University / Computer Science
Natalie COKER / University of Oklahoma / Ritsumeikan University / International Business, Japanese
Shanya COSHEY / Indiana University of Pennsylvania / Kansai Gaidai University / Asian Studies, Anthropology
Alison CREAMER / Adrian College / Kansai Gaidai University / Japanese Studies, Vocal Performance
Alexander DAO / University of Florida / Kansai Gaidai University / Computer Science
Logan DEAL / Michigan State University / Japan Center for Michigan Universities / Graphic Design, Japanese
Calvin DO / Temple University / Temple University, Japan / Psychology
Jack DUFRANE / Illinois State University / Kansai Gaidai University / Geography
Aliyat EGBEBI / DePaul University / Temple University, Japan / Public Relations, Advertising
Leah GARCIA / Baruch College / Kansai Gaidai University / Business Communications
Jennifer GARCIA ARREGUIN / Kennesaw State University / Soka University / Business and Marketing
Beatrice GIEBEL / University of Washington / Hokkaido University / Japanese and Asian Languages and Cultures
Gabriel GONZALEZ / Eastern Michigan University / Japan Center for Michigan Universities / International Business
Kasumi GUERRA / California State University Fresno / Waseda University / Business Accountancy
Alexandra GUTHRIE / California State University, Stanislaus / Nagoya University of Foreign Studies / Business Administration, Computer Information Systems
Kyree HAMMOND / West Chester University / Hosei University / Anthropology
Cody HENRY / University of Oregon / Senshu University / Art
Sergianni JENNINGS / Bowdoin College / Kyoto Consortium for Japanese Studies / Asian Studies: Japan, Government: Comparative Politics
Jourden JONES / Mount Holyoke College / International Christian University / Computer Science
Talin KHANNA / Western Michigan University / Keio University / Japanese, Cultural Anthropology
Nikki KHONG / University of California, Irvine / Tohoku University / Biology
Heather KODHELAJ / Temple University / Temple University, Japan / Global Studies
Rachelle LAUREL / Middle Tennessee State University / Kansai Gaidai University / Japanese, Marketing
Lucy LIN / University of Washington / Keio University (KIP) / Informatics
Frida LOPEZ / San Diego State University / Nanzan University / Business Administration: Management Information Systems
Alyssa LYONS / College of Saint Benedict & Saint John’s University / Bunkyo Gakuin University / Psychology
Lucas MAKISHIMA / University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign / University of Tokyo / Global Studies
Maxwell MAVEUS / Wesleyan University / Kyoto Consortium for Japanese Studies / College of East Asian Studies, Environmental Studies, and College of Social Studies
Sandra MCCAULEY / Central Piedmont Community College / Lakeland University, Japan / Information Technology – Cybersecurity
Franco MIELE / Bates College / IES Tokyo / Japanese
Shane NEIRINCKX / University of Idaho / University Studies Abroad Consortium / Political Science, International Studies
Jonah NGUYEN-CONYERS / Montgomery College / Temple University, Japan / Business
Samantha OLMEDO / University of Kansas / Sophia University / Political Science, Global & International Studies
Joseph ORTIZ / California State University, Fullerton / Waseda University / Business Administration, Marketing
Muhanad OSMAN / Northern Virginia Community College / Toyo University / Computer Science
Miyu OWADA / Pomona College / International Christian University / Asian Studies
Kaia PATTERSON / Washington State University / International Christian University / Accounting, Japanese
Bradyn PETREK / College of Saint Benedict & Saint John’s University / Bunkyo Gaukin University
Hannah PORCH / Agnes Scott College / Tokyo International University / Anthropology & Sociology
Noah PRICE / Arizona State University / Waseda University / Asian Languages (Japanese)
Kimberly RADER / Wichita State University / Kansai Gaidai University / Criminal Justice
Sebastian RENTERIA / University of Texas at El Paso / Sophia University (CIEE) / Clinical Laboratory Science
Lesa RITCHIE / University of California San Diego / Keio University / Japanese Studies, Education
Mariana ROJAS / Pace University / Musashi University / Sociology, Anthropology
Camilo SASAKI / California State University Monterey Bay / Dokkyo University / Japanese
Diego SEPULVEDA-MARTINEZ / University of Wisconsin – Green Bay / Tokyo Metropolitan University / Biology, Spanish and Latin American Studies
Carter SCHULZ / Mary Baldwin University / Soka University / Computer Science
Desiree SMITH / University of Findlay / University of Fukui / TESOL, Japanese
Nicolas SOLARI / Appalachian State University / Kansai Gaidai University / International Business
Seri STEWART / University of Michigan / Waseda University / History of Art
Jessica SUN / Northwestern University / Kyoto Consortium for Japanese Studies / Social Policy, International Studies
Karen VALENZUELA VAZQUEZ / Northern Arizona University / Kyushu University / Biomedical Sciences, Japanese, Agriculture
Cecilia VERA-VALDEZ / Florida Atlantic University / Kansai Gaidai University / Studio Art
Alexander VOSES / Boston University / Keio University / International Relations
Josiah WHITE / Willamette University / Tokyo International University / Japanese Studies
Kai WONG / Princeton University / Waseda University / Economics
Alexander WOOD / University of Illinois Chicago / Sophia University / Finance, Global Asian Studies
Reann YOUNG / Saint Mary’s College of California / Sophia University / Global and Regional Studies
Sami YOUSEF / University of Oklahoma / Hokkaido University / International Business
Michael ZHOU / University of Southern California / Waseda University / East Asian Languages & Cultures, Business Administration

These Bridging Scholars hail from a variety of schools–public and private, large universities and small colleges–in 22 states. Their majors range from biochemistry to fine arts, 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 small colleges in rural Japan.

The goal of the Bridging Project is to promote study abroad in Japan by larger numbers of American undergraduate students. The American Association of Teachers of Japanese (AATJ), which promotes education in Japanese language, literature, and culture, administers the Bridging Scholarship program.

For information on the scholarships, visit the Bridging Project online at www.aatj.org/studyabroad/japan-bridging-scholarships. For information on the Bridging Foundation, visit www.bridgingfoundation.org.