Two USSI Scholars Graduated from ICU This Summer-Myra
JICUF launched the United States Scholars Initiative (USSI) in 2018 to increase the number of degree-seeking undergraduate students from the US at ICU. For the last five years, we have aimed to recruit two US students with excellent academic standing and cover their full tuition for four years. The first two recipients graduated in the summer of 2023. This June, another two USSI scholars, Ms. Myra Lotus Shikimachi-Stickney and Ms. Julia Yamaguchi, completed their studies at ICU. We interviewed Myra and Julia about their memories at ICU and their future aspirations. This page features the interview with Myra. You can find Julia’s essay here.
JICUF SDG Project Recipient Spotlight-ELABEL
SDG Projects Recipient Spotlight: Student Group ELABEL Hosts Fair Trade Sales EventELABEL, a student-led group at ICU dedicated to promoting fair trade on campus, hosted its latest sales event, the “Fair Trade Gallery,” on June 9, 11, and 16. Following their fair trade chocolate sale in February and tote bag sale in April, the group set up shop inside the cafeteria, where they showcased and sold a variety of fair trade products.Items on offer included ELABEL’s original tote bags and “Hachiro” hand towels, as well as fair trade goodies like Uva tea, brown sugar cookies, and chocolate. Although the cafeteria event has concluded, you can still purchase tote bags (¥1,500) […]
JICUF Supports Collaboration between ICU and Asian Rural Institute
With support from JICUF, ICU is implementing a program titled “Learning and Practice on Nature and Food in Collaboration with the Asian Rural Institute.” Located in Tochigi Prefecture, the Asian Rural Institute (ARI) is a school where participants from around the world come together to learn and live in community, cultivating leadership for rural development through a life centered on agriculture. Sharing a common history rooted in Christian ideals, ICU and ARI have built a longstanding relationship through ongoing exchanges. At ICU, momentum has been growing to make greater use of the campus’s rich natural environment in education—for example, through the Farm Project launched in 2024. This new collaboration with […]
Alumni Stories No. 26 – Mr. Nizar Mamdani
Mr. Nizar Mamdani graduated from ICU in 1969. Having grown up in Tanzania, he decided to enroll at ICU following the footsteps of his brother Iqbal. He is now based in the United States and leads a non-profit organization called First Sight Eyeglasses that distributes free eyeglasses to children in need around the world. Mr. Mamdani shared his journey with us.
Global Citizen Fellowship 2025 NY Program
This July, as part of the Global Citizen Fellowship (GCF) launched by JICUF in April, a summer program was held in New York over two weeks. The GCF is a year-long fellowship for undergraduate students at ICU, designed to help them explore their personal values, deepen their understanding of the world and their place in it, and consider how they can contribute to the common good. Out of the 14 inaugural fellows, 12 participated in the New York program. Here is a report on their experience.The summer program was structured around three core components. First, the fellows engaged in discussions with individuals who are actively working as global citizens at […]
JICUF and ICU Establish a Graduate Scholarship for Students Impacted by Conflict
This month, JICUF and ICU agreed to establish a graduate scholarship for students who have fled conflict and relocated to Japan. JICUF and ICU already offer full undergraduate scholarships to two new students with refugee backgrounds annually through the Japan Education Pathways program, and will add one full scholarship in the master’s program starting spring 2026.
JICUF President Paul Hastings Chairs a Session on Language Education at UNHCR’s Annual Meeting in Geneva
JICUF President & CEO Paul Hastings was in Geneva from June 24 to 27 to attend the annual meeting of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Hastings proposed and chaired a session on language education, which plays a crucial role in the integration of refugees into host communities. The panelists were representatives of Japan’s Immigration Services Agency, Duolingo, Bard College, and a Syrian refugee student in Slovenia.
JICUF Co-Hosts a Conference on Refugee Education at Payap University in Chiang Mai, Thailand
On June 12 and 13, JICUF co-hosted a Global Task Force on Third Country Education Pathways Community of Practice meeting at Payap University in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The theme of the meeting was “Preparing Displaced Students from Burma for Education” and approximately 70 representatives of governments, NGOs, UNHCR and higher education institutions as well as students participated from a dozen countries. As the title suggests, the meeting focused on learning about the situation of displaced Burmese refugees and finding durable solutions through education.
Cultivating Community at the 2025 Othmer Research Fellowship Spring Workshop
On June 7th, 2025, JICUF hosted the inaugural gathering of the Othmer Research Fellows at International Christian University—a day marked by dynamic collaboration, peer feedback, and candid dialogue across disciplines. The workshop included reflections from ICU alumni and concluded with motivating insights from JICUF Board Member and Grants Committee Chair, Dr. Machi Dilworth. Read the full story and see more photos.
JICUF Japan Office Hosts C-Week-Related Events
In April, the JICUF Japan Office hosted three events in conjunction with ICU’s Christianity Week. JICUF Led Spring Community Events at ICU JICUF hosts community events each semester to foster connections at ICU between students, staff and faculty. On Thursday, May 15, JICUF hosted a community event in the dining hall that brought together 40 participants who enjoyed a fun and relaxed evening together, sharing food and interacting for more than two hours. During the event, participants gathered at various tables to introduce themselves and respond to a set of prepared discussion questions, aimed at deepening mutual understanding. Since the event was held just before Christianity Week, two thought-provoking questions […]