The five participants of the 2019 TOMODACHI Sumitomo Corporation Scholarship Program completed a training program this month, which was hosted by representatives from Sumitomo Corporation of Americas’ headquarters in New York. This scholarship program provides financial assistance to high-achieving Japanese undergraduate students to enable year-long study abroad in the United States.
The week-long training kicked off in New York with a welcome dinner, where the students shared their experiences and impressions with employees and executives of Sumitomo Corporation of America (SCOA). Following a meeting at SCOA’s New York headquarters, the students visited the 9/11 Memorial Museum to learn about a significant part of U.S. history and the impact this tragic event had on the city.
The following day, the students visited Hartz Mountain Corporation, a Sumitomo Corporation of Americas subsidiary retail pet care company in New Jersey that sells food, hygiene products, toys and preventative medicine for pets throughout the United States. The students had the opportunity to tour the facility and meet with the sales and marketing team to learn how Hartz is effectively targeting the pet care market.
The students then traveled to Columbia Business School’s Center on Japanese Economy and Business (CJEB) to have lunch with Japanese fellows who are currently conducting research. After lunch, the students met with Dr. Hugh Patrick, founder and chairman of CJEB, to discuss Japan’s current economic climate. They then had dinner at New York’s Sakagura restaurant with the CJEB fellows, as well as USJC members in the New York region.
The program continued with a trip to Washington DC, where the students were briefed by SCOA’s Senior Director of Government Affairs on the United States’ political landscape. Later that day, the students visited USJC’s headquarters to meet with Executive Vice President Laura Abbot and discuss their experience studying in the United States. The group then enjoyed lively conversation at dinner with local young professionals and USJC members. The following morning, students embarked on a staff-led tour of the United States Capitol, where they were granted access into the chamber of the House of Representatives to hear live statements and proceedings.
Following the tour, the scholars traveled back to New York where they
were treated to a quintessential New York City experience: dinner at
the Hard Rock Café and tickets to see Aladdin on Broadway. The program
concluded with presentations from SCOA’s business and corporate groups,
and a farewell lunch attended by SCOA colleagues.
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