The Japan ICU Foundation’s work is centered on building connections between people. While we have had to put some of our regular work on hold, online programming has enabled us to maintain and even expand connections during the pandemic. Here are some online programs that we have implemented in the past year.
JICUF has been exploring ways to continue supporting the ICU community in a drastically changed environment. We are excited to announce three new initiatives: the Global Alumni Speakers Series, Japan and the Sustainable Development Goals, and the Common Good Grant Project.
JICUF Executive Director Paul Hastings reflects on the year he has spent at ICU. He and his family will return to the U.S. in mid-June.
The 2020 Spring JICUF Undergraduate Research Day was held at ICU on February 21, and 33 graduating students presented their research.
ICU first year student Taiga Ogusu received a Student Activities Fund grant from JICUF in fall 2019. He and his group Entre organized an entrepreneurship event on February 7.
Luke Wilson and Nicolas Correa are the second cohort of recipients of JICUF’s United States Scholars Initiative (USSI) scholarship. USSI aims to increase the number of degree-seeking undergraduate students from the United States at ICU. This merit-based scholarship provides full-tuition support for four years of undergraduate study at ICU.
We sat down with Luke and Nico and asked them about their experiences at ICU so far.
ICU alumnus (‘61) Dr. Yasuyuki Horie and his late wife endowed the Horie Takematsu & Koh Scholarship at ICU several years ago. The $2,000 scholarship is awarded annually to a top student in the natural sciences. Dr. Horie, who currently lives in New Mexico, visited ICU for the first time in 58 years on Tuesday, September 24.
In fall 2018, third-year ICU student Hotaka Omata (second-year at the time) received a JICUF grant of ¥424,000 for his project to build housing in Nepal. Hotaka and seven other ICU members of the FIWC (Friendship International Work Camp), an inter-collegiate volunteer group, traveled to Ramche village, Nepal, which has yet to fully recover from the devastating April 2015 earthquake. JICUF interviewed three ICU students who took part in the trip.
The Spring 2019 JICUF Undergraduate Research Day (URD) was held on February 15th at ICU. 46 fourth-year students presented their research posters. The event was organized by Associate Professor Seunghun Lee with a grant from JICUF.
Last week, JICUF staff Fernando Rojas and Luke Palermo visited the ICU campus to promote opportunities that JICUF provides for ICU students. Here is a report from Luke.
