Home Institution: Aoyama Gakuin University
Host Institution: Carthage College

Ayaka is a senior at Aoyama Gakuin University majoring in Global studies and Collaboration. She studies what it takes to build a better global society by collaborating with people worldwide to address various international issues. Since it is not easy to collaborate with people from different cultures and backgrounds, she is interested in learning what it takes to understand different cultures and cooperate using their strengths. Though she studies social issues in Japan, she is looking forward to exchanging opinions with professors and students from America who have completely different backgrounds and cultures from hers and gaining new perspectives. Ayaka wants to contribute to solving social issues such as poverty and economic disparity. She is also looking forward to developing the English skills necessary for these purposes and gaining wide perspectives and the ability to make appropriate judgments. Receiving the Mineta Ambassadors Program Scholarship is an honor to Ayaka. Moreover, it eases the financial burden, giving her an environment in which she can focus on her academic work to achieve these goals.

Home Institution: University of Washington
Host Institution: University of Washington

Yumi is an accomplished global technology specialist currently advancing her expertise through the Master of Information Management program at the University of Washington. As a User Experience Designer and leader in the tech industry, she has a particular interest in designing and implementing highly usable technology services, with a strong emphasis on Human-Centered Design (HCD) and Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). Yumi is dedicated to leveraging her education to drive innovation and excellence, ensuring that technology serves and benefits users from all backgrounds. Her engagement with the United States began during her undergraduate studies in International Relations and continued through her career in technology, starting with cultural exchanges and international conferences in middle school. After a decade away, Yumi is excited to return to the United States for graduate studies, eager to reconnect with and contribute to this vibrant academic and professional community. As a recipient of a prestigious scholarship funded by leading technology companies from both Japan and the United States, Yumi views this opportunity as a pivotal career milestone and a new mission. She is committed to advancing the Japan-U.S. relationship, recognizing its profound impact on her life, and aims to strengthen this bond for future generations. Her goal is to leverage her experience to make a meaningful contribution to both nations and global society.

Home Institution: The University of Tokyo
Host Institution: Seattle Central College

Sakura is a first-year master’s student at the University of Tokyo studying molecular neuroscience. As a medical writer, she became aware of the current state of neuronal disorders, whose fundamental treatments are hard to establish and spread. Fascinated by the growing potential of information technology through developing AI applications, she is aspiring to further foster expertise in informatics to advance the field of neuroscience. During the pandemic, she served as a liaison in an online New York program at The University of Tokyo. Interviewing leading figures from various fields sparked her ambition to study in the United States, a hub of pioneering innovation. Motivated by these experiences, she embarks on an exciting endeavor: exploring the biotech landscape of the Bay Area for a week, majoring in computer science as an IBP pre-scholarship student in Seattle for nine months, and obtaining practical exposure as an intern in North America for three months. She is deeply grateful to the Mineta Ambassadors Program scholarship for greatly reducing the financial burden, especially amid the challenges posed by the weak yen and price hikes. This support enables her to be the first in her family to study overseas.

Home Institution: International Christian University
Host Institution: University of California, Riverside

Kimika is a student at International Christian University, majoring in physics and minoring in environmental studies. She attends UC Riverside as an exchange student. Kimika studied at a local high school in Fiji in 2019 and volunteered at animal hospitals and an orphanage. At that time, Kimika’s dream was to help people and animals suffering around the world. Experience in Fiji made Kimika realize that education that can perpetually make everyone curious and critical is needed to create a better world. One of the reasons she became interested in the world was her love for Disney theme parks. Her father often took her to Tokyo Disney Resort, and magical technologies used in the park made her wonder how things work. Now, she is studying to be an Imagineer–an engineer who creates Disney theme parks–because she believes what they do is primarily connected to making people curious and critical. Attending UCR, which is only one hour from the world’s first Disney theme park which she adores, sounds like a dream for her. Also, UCR holds a Walt Disney Imagineering class in general education. She wants to gain creativity and inspiration through classes and her days at UCR.

Home Institution: Tohoku University
Host Institution: University of California, Berkeley

Yuya is a junior majoring in Behavioral Science at Tohoku University in Japan. His passion lies in applying quantitative methods, such as statistics and game theory, to social sciences in order to address global inequalities theoretically. This interest was sparked by his experience of volunteering at a children’s cafeteria during high school, where he witnessed firsthand the impact of socioeconomic disparities on children’s lives. Receiving the Mineta Ambassadors Program scholarship is a key step in making two of his dreams a reality. The first is the opportunity to study at UC Berkeley, one of the most active social science research centers in the world, as an exchange student for one year. He is eager to deepen his knowledge of applied statistical methodologies at Berkeley, where courses emphasize practical data analysis and prediction using real-world data. The second is to live in the International House (I-House) at Berkeley, where students from various cultural backgrounds come together. He is particularly looking forward to forming friendships across age, race, or major, and engaging in active discussions that expand his worldview.

Home Institution: Columbia University
Host Institution: Columbia University

Kento is a rising senior at Columbia University, majoring in Computer Science with a focus on Intelligent Systems. He looks forward to exploring Machine Learning and Natural Language Processing to deepen his understanding of how AI models can be developed and applied in real life scenarios. Additionally, he is excited about Columbia’s core curriculum, which emphasizes critical thinking and interdisciplinary approaches; the focus on liberal art education would expose him to a diversity of thoughts. Despite his aspiration for college education, he has been facing severe financial struggles after the loss of his father on the first day of his studying abroad. As a first-generation student, Kento is determined to earn his bachelor’s degree while supporting his own tuition and living expenses without help from his family. Receiving the Mineta Ambassadors Program scholarship significantly eases his financial distress, allowing him to focus more on his academic interests and professional goals.