-

Webinar recording: https://youtu.be/OuqgZCnXyo4 

When the U.S. government incarcerated over 120,000 people of Japanese descent during World War II (most of whom were U.S. citizens), Japanese Americans struggled to find a sense of normalcy behind the barbed wire. For some, this was achieved by playing baseball. 

Using baseball as a lens to explore the history of Japanese Americans and the U.S.–Japan relationship, this webinar offers K–12 educators a virtual tour of “Baseball’s Bridge to the Pacific,” a special exhibit currently on display at Dodger Stadium. The tour will be led by Kerry Yo Nakagawa, the founder and director of the Nisei Baseball Research Project (NBRP). The exhibit celebrates the 150th anniversary of U.S.–Japan diplomacy (1872–2022) and chronicles the introduction and development of baseball in Japan since the early 1870s. The exhibit’s photos, memorabilia, and artifacts offer a unique glimpse into key milestones of Japanese and Japanese Americans in baseball over the past 150 years. 

Join Nakagawa as he brings the legacy of Japanese Americans and baseball to life, live from Dodger Stadium! Attendees will receive a PDF of free curriculum materials on teaching about baseball and Japanese American incarceration, developed by SPICE and NBRP for high school and community college teachers.

This webinar is sponsored by the Stanford Program on International and Cross-Cultural Education (SPICE), the Nisei Baseball Research Project (NBRP), the National Consortium for Teaching about Asia (NCTA), and the USC U.S.-China Institute.

Kerry Yo Nakagawa is the author of "Through a Diamond: 100 Years of Japanese American Baseball." He is the founder and director of the non-profit Nisei Baseball Research Project (NBRP) and curator of “Diamonds in the Rough: Japanese Americans in Baseball,” an exhibition that was displayed at the Japanese American National Museum in 2000. He is also a consultant to the prestigious Baseball Hall of Fame tour entitled “Baseball in America” and an independent producer/filmmaker, actor, researcher, and writer.
portrait of a man
Naomi Funahashi

Online via Zoom.

Kerry Yo Nakagawa Founder and Director Nisei Baseball Research Project
Workshops
Authors
Gary Mukai
News Type
Blogs
Date
Paragraphs

Joe Garcia Kapp was one of the first Chicano/Latino football players to become a national star. From the 1950s, he excelled in many areas—including academically, in business, and as a coach—and took pride in his identity as a Mexican American at a time when it was difficult and even risky to do so. Kapp never forgot his humble roots and gave back to his community throughout his life. He grew up in East Salinas, California, and was the first in his family to go to college. Kapp attended El Sausal Middle School, and the school’s athletic field will be named in his honor on September 29, 2022. He attended Salinas High School and Hart High School in Newhall, California before matriculating to the University of California, Berkeley. While Kapp got into Cal on a basketball scholarship, he starred as their quarterback from 1956 to 1958, leading them to the Rose Bowl game. He also played professionally in Canada and in the National Football League, bringing the Minnesota Vikings to their first Super Bowl in 1970.

As part of its DEI-related work, SPICE has developed a lesson (available below) that encourages students to analyze Joe Garcia Kapp’s life and legacy as an example of a Chicano/Latino leader who gave back to his community. In the lesson, students also investigate who their communities have commemorated through monuments and namings, and profile a local community leader.

Joe Garcia Kapp characterizes the hardworking values and history of Salinas. It was his Mexican mother’s work ethic, Salinas educators and the agricultural workforce that taught Joe about grit, perseverance, and ganas, a Spanish term for ‘effort.’

The lesson was developed by Greg Francis in consultation with Dr. Ignacio Ornelas, a historian and Salinas native who also attended El Sausal Middle School. Ornelas took the initiative to advocate for the Salinas Union High School District to name El Sausal’s athletic field after Kapp when he learned that Kapp was a fellow alumnus. Ornelas noted, “Joe Garcia Kapp characterizes the hardworking values and history of Salinas. It was his Mexican mother’s work ethic, Salinas educators and the agricultural workforce that taught Joe about grit, perseverance, and ganas, a Spanish term for ‘effort.’ Joe Kapp’s time in East Salinas is where he learned to prioritize his education, and where he developed his leadership skills. These core values ultimately propelled Joe to academic, entrepreneurial, and coaching success.”

With this in mind, Francis decided upon the following objectives for the lesson. He hopes that through the lesson, students will:

  • gain an understanding of the accomplishments of Joe Garcia Kapp and their importance for the Chicano/Latino community;
  • analyze Joe Garcia Kapp’s life and leadership philosophy and write about his achievements and legacy;
  • understand the role of monuments and names in reflecting a community’s values and history; and
  • identify and recognize people who lived in their local area who have contributed positively to the community.
     

J.J. Kapp, the son of Kapp, noted that his father “was nicknamed ‘The Toughest Chicano’ by Sports Illustrated magazine after he quarterbacked the Minnesota Vikings to their first Super Bowl in 1970. The nickname was given and has stuck because of his ferocious style of play, competitive spirit, unmatched leadership, and enthusiastic pride in his Latino heritage… Throughout his life Joe has always been devoted to community service and has never stopped giving and raising money for Latino causes. Most importantly, he is a lifelong family man and raised his kids with the core values he learned from his mother and unprivileged upbringing.”

Ornelas and Francis encourage teachers to use this lesson as a tool to address key themes like identity, history and movement, systems of power, and social movements and equity in the California Department of Education’s Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum. Ornelas hopes that this lesson and Joe Kapp’s life will “inspire students to always think as leaders and to never give up on their academic pursuits and career aspirations. Moreover, it is a lesson that will teach each student to be proud of their community no matter how humble one’s origins.”

To access the lesson and its accompanying visuals, download the two PDFs below.

Lessons from the Life of Joe Garcia Kapp
Download pdf
Images of Joe Garcia Kapp
Download pdf

Read More

headshots of eight high school students for WDIMTBA 8
Blogs

What Does It Mean to Be an American?: Reflections from Students (Part 8)

Reflections of eight students on the website “What Does It Mean to Be an American?”
What Does It Mean to Be an American?: Reflections from Students (Part 8)
an image of five men at the beach and an image of a man standing
Blogs

Teaching Diverse Perspectives on the Vietnam War

On Veterans Day 2021, SPICE Director Gary Mukai reflects on some lesser-known stories of Vietnam War veterans.
Teaching Diverse Perspectives on the Vietnam War
visualizing the essential image
Blogs

Visualizing the Essential: Mexicans in the U.S. Agricultural Workforce

During multiple periods of economic crisis, the U.S. economy has depended on Mexican labor.
Visualizing the Essential: Mexicans in the U.S. Agricultural Workforce
All News button
1
Subtitle

SPICE develops lesson on legendary football player from East Salinas, California, who never forgot his roots.

Authors
Rylan Sekiguchi
News Type
News
Date
Paragraphs

On August 9, 2022, a virtual award ceremony was held to recognize the 12 honorees of SPICE’s 2021–2022 regional programs in Japan. These students performed at the highest levels in their respective courses. Their names, high schools, and final research project titles appear below.

Stanford e-Fukuoka (Instructor Kasumi Yamashita)

  • Kasane Horiuchi (Tochiku High School), “Research on Plastic Bottle Recycling”
  • Mihiro Tomomatsu (Hakata Seisho High School), “Break Invisible Barriers. Create the World that Everyone Needs”
     

Stanford e-Hiroshima (Instructor Rylan Sekiguchi)

  • Minori Imai (Hiroshima Prefectural Kuremitsuta High School), “All Lives Are Important”
  • Yui Miyake, (Hiroshima Prefectural Hiroshima High School), “U.S. Prison System: How the Country’s History of Racial Inequality Drives the High Rate of Incarceration in America”
     

Stanford e-Kawasaki (Instructor Maiko Tamagawa Bacha)

  • Sayaka Kiyotomo (Kawasaki High School), “How Can We Improve Junior and Senior High School English Education in Japan?”
  • Anne Fukushima (Tachibana High School), “How Are Invisible Disorders Accepted in the United States and Japan?”


Stanford e-Kobe (Instructor Alison Harsch)

  • Nonoha Toji (Kobe University Secondary School), “How to Foster Entrepreneurship in School Days: Between U.S. and Japan”
  • Cullen Hiroki Morita (Kobe Municipal Fukiai High School), “The Different Work-Life Balance in Japan and America”
     

Stanford e-Oita (Instructor Kasumi Yamashita)

  • Rina Imai (Usa High School), “Learn About War and Peace Through the Naval Air Base Bunkers in Oita”
  • Yuki Nojiri (Hofu High School), “I Want to Live in the Second House of the Three Little Pigs”


Stanford e-Tottori (Instructor Jonas Edman)

  • Sakurako Kano (Tottori Keiai High School), “Being Proactive”
  • Yuki Yamane (Tottori Nishi High School), “The Effect of Collectivism and Individualism on Education”
     

Image
Hajime Kishimori SPICE 2022 regional programs awards ceremony

The event began with welcoming remarks by the Honorable Hajime Kishimori, Acting Consul General of Japan in San Francisco, who recognized the students for their impressive academic achievement. “You have demonstrated initiative and dedication to enhancing your understanding of Japan and the United States. I’d like to congratulate all of you.” He also expressed his hope for the students to play an active role in the future of U.S.–Japan relations. “I hope that your experiences have motivated you to consider an international career involving Japan and the United States. I believe the future of Japan–U.S. relations is in the hands of the next generation, and I hope young leaders like you will continue to strengthen our countries’ friendship as we move forward.”

Following Acting Consul General Kishimori’s remarks, each honoree delivered a formal research presentation in English and fielded questions from the audience. Each honoree also received a plaque to recognize their award.

For the instructors, it was a joy to watch the students present the research projects they worked for months to refine. “It’s so rewarding to see their hard work pay off,” commented Stanford e-Kobe Instructor Alison Harsch. “You can’t help but feel proud of them—for their academic accomplishments, but also for the ways they’ve grown as young adults over the course of the program.”

Stanford e-Fukuoka honoree Kasane Horiuchi is a case in point. Thinking back on her experience in the course, she reflected, “At first, I hesitated to speak up in class, but my instructor always encouraged us to be brave and told us that making mistakes was important. Thanks to her encouragement, I was able to talk with my classmates and enjoyed participating in every class. This experience was so important to me.”

SPICE would like to thank its collaborators at the Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Oita, and Tottori Prefectural Boards of Education, Kawasaki City, and Kobe City, who have helped make these regional programs a success. SPICE would also like to thank Fukuoka Governor Seitaro Hattori, Hiroshima Governor Hidehiko Yuzaki, Kawasaki Mayor Norihiko Fukuda, Kobe Mayor Kizo Hisamoto, Oita Governor Katsusada Hirose, and Tottori Governor Shinji Hirai for their continued support of these regional programs.

SPICE’s regional programs are a subset of our local student programs in Japan.

To stay informed of news about SPICE, join our email list and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Read More

cityscape with lush green park in the foreground
Blogs

Stanford e-Fukuoka Wraps up Its Inaugural Session

Instructor Kasumi Yamashita looks back on the first session of Stanford e-Fukuoka.
Stanford e-Fukuoka Wraps up Its Inaugural Session
Stanford e-Hiroshima alumna Rio Sasaki
Blogs

My Experience as a Hiroshima Nagasaki Peace Messenger

Stanford e-Hiroshima alumna Rio Sasaki shares her thoughts on being part of the last generation to hear the voices of atomic bomb survivors.
My Experience as a Hiroshima Nagasaki Peace Messenger
Students with Mayor Fukuda; photo courtesy Kawasaki City
Blogs

Kawasaki City Mayor Norihiko Fukuda Delivers Inspirational Comments to Students

Stanford e-Kawasaki closing ceremony held.
Kawasaki City Mayor Norihiko Fukuda Delivers Inspirational Comments to Students
All News button
1
Subtitle

Congratulations to the student honorees from Fukuoka Prefecture, Hiroshima Prefecture, Kawasaki City, Kobe City, Oita Prefecture, and Tottori Prefecture.

Authors
Gary Mukai
News Type
News
Date
Paragraphs

Stanford e-Entrepreneurship Japan is a partnership between SPICE and NPO e-Entrepreneurship, which is led by Yusuke “Ed” Matsuda and Junna Hagiwara. Stanford e-Entrepreneurship Japan enrolls exceptional high school students from Japan. Top Japanese and American scholars and entrepreneurs provide web-based lectures and engage students in live discussion sessions or “virtual classes” on topics like design thinking, health and welfare, agriculture, environment and energy, and education and technology. The course is offered in English and includes reading assignments, online lectures, discussion board posts, and research projects. Students who successfully complete the course receive a Certificate of Completion from SPICE, Stanford University.

On August 15, 2022, NPO e-Entrepreneurship’s Junna Hagiwara facilitated an online ceremony during which the top two students from the summer 2021 course and the top two students from the fall 2021 were honored. The honorees also gave presentations on their research papers. The honorees and the titles of their research paper topics are:

Summer 2021

  • Yamato Obinata, Shibuya Makuhari Senior High School, Chiba; School Truancy”
  • Scott Watanuki, Iolani High School, Honolulu; “A Cost-Effective Solution for Diagnosing Cataracts in Developing Countries”
     

Fall 2021

  • Mona Abe, Urawa Akenohoshi Girls’ Senior High School, Saitama Prefecture; “Eliminating Labor Exploitation: Taking an Individual Approach to Ethical Fashion”
  • Nahoko Okamoto, Kikuzato High School, Aichi Prefecture; “LGBTQ+ Inclusivity”


Following each presentation, each honoree fielded questions from an audience of teachers, fellow Stanford e-Entrepreneurship Japan students, and members of the SPICE/Stanford community. While listening to their presentations and the Q&A period, Hagiwara noted, “It became clear to me why these four students were chosen as the honorees by their instructors. Stanford e-Entrepreneurship Japan has the objective of empowering students with creative thinking and problem-solving skills with a focus on social innovation to solve global issues. This certainly came through each presentation during the ceremony.”

Instructor Maiko Tamagawa Bacha stated the following about the summer 2021 course. “Throughout the course, the students learned to work together to build a solution for a problem, and I hope that this experience helped them realize that the more different ideas and perspectives they bring in, the more innovative they can be in problem-solving. Both Yamato and Scott not only demonstrated innovation but also excellent leadership in fostering teamwork and collaboration.”

Reflecting on the fall 2021 course, Instructor Irene Bryant noted, “As we navigated another year of the pandemic, I was impressed with how students were able to empathize with their classmates and step up to help one another during challenging times. It was also great to see them apply new skills and improve how they approached each new topic as the course progressed. Mona and Nahoko, our fall honorees, showed exceptional leadership skills and their ability to grasp the importance of empathy really showed in their work.”

The fall 2021 course was generously supported by Noriko & Norman Chen and Andrew & Mako Ogawa. The spring 2022 course was generously supported by the Water Dragon Foundation. Bryant, Bacha, and Hagiwara are grateful to Mitsuhito Ikeda, a senior at International Christian University, who contributed his time to both the fall and spring courses.

Read More

Stanford e-Entrepreneurship Japan honorees with their instructors
News

Fostering the Entrepreneurs and Innovators of Tomorrow

On August 11, 2021, SPICE honored the top students in the 2020 Stanford e-Entrepreneurship Japan Program in a virtual ceremony.
Fostering the Entrepreneurs and Innovators of Tomorrow
Stanford e-Entrepreneurship Japan student Naho Abe in Mexico City
Blogs

Stanford e-Entrepreneurship Japan: Fostering Innovative Ways to Address Social Issues

The following reflection is a guest post written by Naho Abe, an alumna of Stanford e-Entrepreneurship Japan.
Stanford e-Entrepreneurship Japan: Fostering Innovative Ways to Address Social Issues
Yellow building in Japanese country side
Blogs

SPICE’s Inaugural Online Course on Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Healing During a Pandemic

SPICE concludes its first offering of Stanford e-Entrepreneurship, aimed at training young social entrepreneurs in Japan.
SPICE’s Inaugural Online Course on Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Healing During a Pandemic
All News button
1
Subtitle

Congratulations to the summer 2021 and fall 2021 honorees.

News Type
News
Date
Paragraphs

Applications opened today for the China Scholars Program (CSP), Sejong Korea Scholars Program (SKSP), and Reischauer Scholars Program (RSP) on Japan—three intensive online courses offered to high school students across the United States by SPICE, Stanford University. All three applications can now be viewed at https://spicestanford.smapply.io/. Interested students must submit their completed application (including an essay and letter of recommendation) by the October 31, 2022 deadline.

All three online courses are currently accepting applications for the Spring 2023 term, which will begin in February and run through June. Designed as college-level introductions to East Asia, these academically rigorous courses offer high school students the unique opportunity to engage in a guided study of China, Korea, or Japan directly with leading scholars, former diplomats, and other experts from Stanford and beyond.

Rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors in the United States are eligible to apply to any of the three online courses. Students who are interested in more than one program can apply to two or three and rank their preferences on their applications; those who are accepted into multiple programs will be invited to enroll in their highest-preference course. High school students with a strong interest in East Asia and/or international relations are especially encouraged to apply.

“Some students who enroll in our online courses already have a solid foundation in East Asia, but many do not,” says Dr. Tanya Lee, instructor of the China Scholars Program. “What’s important is that they come with a curious mind and a willingness to work hard. We’re fortunate to be able to connect high school students with all kinds of scholars with expertise in China, Korea, and Japan, and we want our students to make the most of this opportunity.”

For more information on a specific online course, please refer to its individual webpage at chinascholars.org, sejongscholars.org, or reischauerscholars.org. The CSP, SKSP, and RSP are part of SPICE’s online student programs.


To be notified when the next application period opens, join our email list and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Read More

Evan Wright (front row, third from the right), Adriana Reinecke, RSP 2009 (first row, third from the left), and Monica, RSP 2013 (second row, third from the right) with the Reischauer Center staff in Mt. Vernon
Blogs

The Reischauer Legacy: How the RSP Inspired Me to Dedicate My Life to U.S.–Japan Relations

The following reflection is a guest post written by Evan Wright, an alumnus of the Reischauer Scholars Program.
The Reischauer Legacy: How the RSP Inspired Me to Dedicate My Life to U.S.–Japan Relations
Michelle Murcia at Gyeongbokgung Palace, South Korea
Blogs

Academic Exploration: My Studies in the Sejong Korea Scholars Program and Korean Peninsula

The following reflection is a guest post written by Michelle Murcia, an alumna of the 2021 Sejong Korea Scholars Program.
Academic Exploration: My Studies in the Sejong Korea Scholars Program and Korean Peninsula
Santiago Calderon at Harvard University for debate tournament
Blogs

How SPICE’s China Scholars Program Accelerated My Love for International Relations

The following reflection is a guest post written by Santiago Calderon, an alumnus of the China Scholars Program, which is currently accepting applications for the Fall 2021 course.
How SPICE’s China Scholars Program Accelerated My Love for International Relations
All News button
1
Subtitle

Students with a strong interest in East Asia or international relations are encouraged to apply. Applications are due October 31.

News Type
News
Date
Paragraphs

Applications open today for the Stanford/SPICE East Asia Seminars for Teachers in Hawai‘i (“Stanford SEAS Hawai‘i”), a free teacher professional development opportunity for Hawai‘i educators who wish to enhance their teaching of East Asia. Offered by the Stanford Program on International and Cross-Cultural Education (SPICE) with the generous support of the Freeman Foundation, Stanford SEAS Hawai‘i will select 25 teachers to participate in a nine-month fellowship from November 2022 to July 2023.

The application form is now live at https://forms.gle/BYZKZnzGY895MknC9. The deadline to apply is October 14, 2022.

This year, all high school teachers across the state are eligible to apply. Selected teachers will strengthen their content knowledge of East Asia by learning from experts in a series of private virtual seminars during the 2022–23 academic year (November–April) and at a culminating three-day in-person teacher institute in Honolulu in July 2023. Throughout the program, participants will explore and examine various aspects of East Asia, U.S.–Asia relations, and the Asian diaspora in the United States, including Hawai‘i. To help support their teaching of East Asia in the classroom, participants will also receive extensive teaching resources and participate in discussions about content and pedagogy.

“We’re extremely excited that we’re able to offer this program for a third year,” remarked program manager Rylan Sekiguchi. “We hope to keep building on the program’s success and continue connecting Hawai‘i teachers with experts at Stanford University, the University of Hawai‘i, and beyond. We can’t wait to start recruiting our next cohort of fellows.”

For more information about Stanford SEAS Hawai‘i, visit the program webpage. To apply, submit the online application by October 14.

To be notified of other professional development opportunities, join SPICE’s email list and follow SPICE on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.


In addition to Stanford SEAS Hawai‘i, SPICE offers teacher PD opportunities virtually to teachers nationwide and locally in California to middle school teachers, high school teachers, and community college instructors. For more information on those programs, please visit the webpages below.

Read More

Teachers pose at the East-West Center
Blogs

Stanford/SPICE East Asia Seminars for Teachers in Hawai‘i Summer Institute

First Lady Dawn Amano-Ige delivers welcoming comments at the East-West Center.
Stanford/SPICE East Asia Seminars for Teachers in Hawai‘i Summer Institute
President Suzanne Puanani Vares-Lum with Gary Mukai
Blogs

SPICE and the East-West Center: A 34-Year History

SPICE will host a 2022 teacher summer institute at the East-West Center, continuing its longstanding relationship with the Center.
SPICE and the East-West Center: A 34-Year History
Stanford Professor Kären Wigen gives a virtual seminar for Stanford SEAS Hawaii
News

Teachers in Hawaii Connect with Stanford Scholars

Twenty-four high school educators comprise the inaugural cohort of Stanford/Freeman SEAS Hawaii Fellows.
Teachers in Hawaii Connect with Stanford Scholars
All News button
1
Subtitle

High school teachers across the state of Hawai‘i are eligible to apply. The application deadline is October 14.

Authors
Gary Mukai
News Type
News
Date
Paragraphs

Stanford e-Japan enrolls exceptional high school students from Japan to engage in an intensive study of U.S. society and culture. The Reischauer Scholars Program enrolls exceptional high school students from the United States to engage in an intensive study of Japanese society and culture. Both courses underscore the importance of U.S.–Japan relations. The Yanai Tadashi Foundation is the current supporter of Stanford e-Japan, and the Japan Fund at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies (FSI) is the current supporter of the RSP.

On August 8, 2022, an award ceremony was held to honor SPICE’s Spring and Fall 2021 Stanford e-Japan student honorees and 2022 Reischauer Scholars Program student honorees. The honorees performed at the highest levels of their courses as determined by Stanford e-Japan Instructors Waka Takahashi Brown and Meiko Kotani, Reischauer Scholars Program Instructor Naomi Funahashi, and the research paper review committees.

Spring 2021 Stanford e-Japan Program Honorees
Yura Amaya, Toyama Chubu High School, Toyama
Akira Fukutomi, Yaeyama High School, Okinawa
Yuto Kimura, Waseda University Senior High School, Tokyo

Fall 2021 Stanford e-Japan Program Honorees
Yohei Kiguchi, Chiba Prefectural Chiba Senior High School, Chiba
Mio Kobayashi, Shirayuri Gakuen, Tokyo
Tomoka Matsushima, Senri International School, Osaka

Honorable Mentions: Ayuki Ichikawa (Keio Senior High School, Kanagawa), Risei Ko (Ikeda Senior High School attached to Osaka Kyoiku University, Osaka), Saya Miyake (Keio Girls High School, Tokyo), and Moe Shimizu (Shibuya Senior High School, Tokyo)

2022 Reischauer Scholars Program Honorees
Cindy DeDianous, Scarsdale High School, New York
Yurika Sakai, Greenwich High School, Connecticut
Riyana Srihari, Nueva School, California

Honorable Mentions: Sora Shirai (Hanover High School, New Hampshire) and Colin Cham (Nueva School, California)

The program began with welcoming comments from the Honorable Hajime Kishimori, Acting Consul General of Japan in San Francisco. “I would like to recognize this year’s honorees for their outstanding academic performance and to congratulate all the participants for completing the programs. I believe that through these programs, your understanding of Japan and the United States has been deepened, and I hope that it will inspire you to consider your future study and career involving Japan–U.S. relations.” He continued, “I am glad that we have platforms such as the Reischauer Scholars Program and Stanford e-Japan where young people from both countries learn about each other’s country and mutual history and have a chance to engage in direct exchanges."

Mutual understanding is an important factor in building a reliable and amicable relationship. I believe that our young people’s deeper understanding of each other will promote greater collaboration and cooperation between our two nations.
Honorable Hajime Kishimori, Acting Consul General of Japan in San Francisco

Following Acting Consul General Kishimori, Chikano Shiroma, Deputy Secretary General of the Yanai Tadashi Foundation, made opening comments. She noted, “First of all, I would like to congratulate the Reischauer Scholars Program and Stanford e-Japan students who are participating today… Our Foundation has supported Stanford e-Japan since 2018, so I am happy to be able to hold this ceremony in person in Japan… Our Foundation’s President, Mr. Tadashi Yanai, is also the founder of Uniqlo and also President of Fast Retailing, the holding company of Uniqlo and other fashion brands. The Yanai Tadashi Foundation supports talented Japanese high school students to have the opportunity to pursue higher education at universities in the U.S. and U.K. so that they can contribute to the future development of Japan worldwide.” She continued, “Our main business is a scholarship program for Japanese students who wish to enter universities in the U.S. and U.K.—universities that are ranked among the top 60. We have provided scholarships to approximately 200 students. Among them are many students who have taken the Stanford e-Japan program so if you seek to apply for universities in the U.S. or U.K., we encourage you to apply for our scholarship program… Our Foundation hopes that what you learn about the relationship between Japan and the U.S. through Stanford e-Japan will be helpful in your future careers, and we hope for your international success in the future.”

Following the welcoming and opening comments, Brown, Kotani, and Funahashi gave introductions of their courses. The student honorees made presentations based on their research papers and expertly fielded questions from the audience. While listening to the presentations, I reflected on the tremendous impact that Brown, Kotani, and Funahashi have had on their students over many years. The RSP and Stanford e-Japan are about to enter their 20th and 8th years, respectively. Many of the alumni are now engaged in various fields related to U.S.–Japan relations and continue to give back to both programs by being guest speakers or mentors to the current students. Also, in their comments, Brown, Kotani, and Funahashi profusely thanked their guest speakers, many of whom have remained unwavering in their support since the launch of the programs.

Takayuki Enomoto, Teacher at Waseda University High School in Tokyo, kindly made arrangements to host the Stanford e-Japan honorees at Waseda University High School. Reflecting on the event, he noted, “As someone who shares a common goal in educating young people, the SPICE team receives my respect and appreciation for nurturing our students with a broad perspective in U.S.–Japan relations… The e-Japan students will certainly make a significant difference in the future.” Following the formal event, the student honorees—most having met each other in person for the first time—had the chance to enjoy lunch together and visit sites in Tokyo. It is the hope of Brown, Kotani, and Funahashi that the Japanese and American student honorees will someday have the chance to gather in person when it is safer to do so.

SPICE is grateful to President Tadashi Yanai for his generous support of Stanford e-Japan and to Chikano Shiroma and Daisuke Kato of the Yanai Tadashi Foundation for their regular correspondence and encouragement. SPICE is also thankful to the Japan Fund committee at FSI for its generous support of the Reischauer Scholars Program. These courses and the ceremony would not have been possible without them.

The Reischauer Scholars Program’s next application period will begin September 5, 2022. Stanford e-Japan’s next application period will begin November 15, 2022.

 

Read More

Seiji Yang at Microsoft corporate headquarters, Redmond, Washington
Blogs

Rediscovering Mottainai: My Experience with the Reischauer Scholars Program

The following reflection is a guest post written by Seiji Yang, a 2020 alumnus of the Reischauer Scholars Program, which will begin accepting student applications on September 5, 2022.
Rediscovering Mottainai: My Experience with the Reischauer Scholars Program
collage of Japanese students
News

Empowering the Next Generation of Japanese Leaders

Yanai Scholars, Stanford e-Japan alumni, and EducationUSA representatives highlight a special session for the Spring 2022 Stanford e-Japan students.
Empowering the Next Generation of Japanese Leaders
students gathered for a luncheon
Blogs

Reconnecting Under the Trees: An RSP Alumni Lunch Gathering at Stanford

Alumni of the Reischauer Scholars Program recently met at Stanford University over Japanese bentos and sushi.
Reconnecting Under the Trees: An RSP Alumni Lunch Gathering at Stanford
All News button
1
Subtitle

Congratulations to the 2021 Stanford e-Japan and 2022 RSP honorees.

0
makiko_hirata_square.jpg
DMA

Dr. Makiko Hirata is the instructor of Stanford e-Wakayama, Stanford e-Entrepreneurship Japan, and Entrepreneurship and Sustainability for Eikei University of Hiroshima. 

An international pianist with ten released albums, Dr. Hirata is also known as “Dr. Pianist.” With a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Rice University, she is on a mission to promote the power of music to heal and unite us. She collaborates with neuroscientists to quantify the benefit of music and promote the power of music as an overlooked social resource to enhance our individual and social well-being. She is a US-Japan Leadership Program Fellow, a founding member of TEMPO: Music for Climate Action, and a recipient of the Coeuraj 2022 Global Courage Fellowship, which honors industry leaders around the world whose work focuses on building trust in an era of polarization.

Japanese-born Dr. Hirata has lived in the United States since she was accepted to the Juilliard School Pre-College Division at the age of 13. She has given recitals, lectures, concerto performances, and outreach concerts in the Americas and Eurasia with ensembles and artists, such as the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra, the Pecs Hungarian Symphony Orchestra, conductor Leon Fleisher, and clarinetist David Krakauer. She has taught at New York University, Colburn Conservatory of Music, Rice University, and Lone Star College, and given master classes and lectures internationally. 

Instructor, Stanford e-Wakayama
Instructor, Stanford e-Entrepreneurship Japan
Instructor, Entrepreneurship and Sustainability for Eikei University of Hiroshima
Date Label
Authors
Irene Bryant
News Type
Blogs
Date
Paragraphs

In March 2022, SPICE released Introduction to Issues in International Security, an online lecture series that was developed in consultation with the Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC). Four CISAC scholars are featured in accessible video lectures that aim to introduce high school students to various global security issues.

Dr. Ignacio Ornelas Rodriguez, high school educator, historian, and researcher, was an advisor to the first cohort of high school students to engage with the lectures. Ornelas guided students from San Jose and Salinas through the video lectures and accompanying curriculum. Students took the initiative to complete the series and assignments on top of their regular schoolwork.

Ornelas’s efforts culminated in the inaugural International Security Symposium that was held on May 26, 2022. The four CISAC scholars gathered online with the first cohort of students. The objectives of the symposium were to offer students a chance to interact with leading scholars in the field of international security and to learn from the scholars about careers in the field.

The scholars, who are featured in the lecture series and who were present during the symposium, are:

Dr. Martha Crenshaw, Senior Fellow, Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies (Terrorism and Counterterrorism)

The Honorable Rose Gottemoeller, former Deputy Secretary General of NATO and Frank E. and Arthur W. Payne Distinguished Lecturer at Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies (International Security and North Korea’s Nuclear Program)

Dr. Norman Naimark, Professor of History and Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution and the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies (Ethnic Cleansing and Genocide)

Dr. Megan J. Palmer, Executive Director of Bio Policy and Leadership Initiatives at Stanford University, Adjunct Professor in the department of Bioengineering, and Affiliate of the Center for International Security and Cooperation (Biosecurity)

During the symposium, the scholars shared key turning points in their careers and how they came to be in their fields of expertise. This was followed by student presentations in breakout sessions, where the students were given the opportunity to present on one of the four topics covered in Introduction to Issues in International Security.

In the breakout session on ethnic cleansing and genocide, Professor Naimark was impressed by how the students had absorbed the most important lessons of the material on mass atrocities: 1) that ethnic cleansing and genocide are an important part of human history, and 2) that these are phenomena that need to be studied and understood in order to prevent them from repeating in the future.

The student participants from Salinas were recently featured in an article in The Salinas Californian. Alisal High School student Ashley Corral commented that the series “brought awareness to COVID, mass atrocities and weapons,” and “it was really helpful that students from Salinas Valley could have that opportunity.” Another student, Bilha Piceno said, “It lets me see if this is something that I’m interested in."

The lecture series encourages students to think about international security not only on a broader level, but also how they can contribute to the safety of the world as global citizens starting with their own communities. Given the success of the first symposium, CISAC and SPICE hope to expand on the lecture series, which is part of their DEI-focused efforts, and reach more underrepresented minority students.

Read More

CISAC Scholars Martha Crenshaw, Rose Gottemoeller, Norman Naimark, Megan Palmer; photos courtesy CISAC
News

Introduction to Issues in International Security

A new video curriculum series is released.
Introduction to Issues in International Security
Dr. Hebert Lin
News

Virtual Workshop for Community College Instructors Will Explore Cyber Threat Across the U.S. Nuclear Enterprise

SPICE and Stanford Global Studies will offer a free virtual workshop with Dr. Herbert Lin on January 25th, 4:00pm–6:00pm.
Virtual Workshop for Community College Instructors Will Explore Cyber Threat Across the U.S. Nuclear Enterprise
an image of five men at the beach and an image of a man standing
Blogs

Teaching Diverse Perspectives on the Vietnam War

On Veterans Day 2021, SPICE Director Gary Mukai reflects on some lesser-known stories of Vietnam War veterans.
Teaching Diverse Perspectives on the Vietnam War
All News button
1
Subtitle

High school students from San Jose and Salinas Valley met online with scholars from Stanford's Center for International Security and Cooperation for the inaugural International Security Symposium.

Authors
Gary Mukai
News Type
Blogs
Date
Paragraphs

SPICE’s relationship with the East-West Center dates back to 1988 when David L. Grossman, Founding Director of SPICE, departed Stanford to become the Director of the Consortium for Teaching Asia and the Pacific in the Schools (CTAPS) at the EWC. In 1995, Grossman left the EWC to join the faculty and administration of the newly established Hong Kong Institute of Education, now the Education University of Hong Kong. Namji Kim Steinemann became his successor and CTAPS became the AsiaPacificEd Program for Schools, which Steinemann directed until her retirement in 2019. I had the pleasure of giving sessions for CTAPS and AsiaPacificEd during its summer institutes from 1989 to 2009.

Over the years, SPICE has continued its connection to the EWC through its work with the EWC’s past presidents like Michel Oksenberg, former Senior Fellow at the Asia-Pacific Research Center, Stanford University, and most recently with EWC President Suzanne Puanani Vares-Lum who took office in January 2022. She is the first woman, Native Hawaiian, and Hawaii resident to be chosen for this role. On June 6, 2022, I met with President Vares-Lum to discuss a teacher summer institute that SPICE will host at the EWC in July 2022 and mentioned my desire to continue SPICE’s long history with the EWC.

The summer institute is the culmination of two online professional development programs (2020–21 and 2021–22) for high school teachers across Hawaii that is supported through a grant from the Freeman Foundation. It is called the Stanford/SPICE East Asia Seminars for Teachers in Hawaii or Stanford SEAS Hawaii and is managed by Rylan Sekiguchi.

Stanford SEAS Hawaii aims to build teachers’ content knowledge of East Asia by connecting them with scholars at Stanford University, the University of Hawaii, and other local institutions in Hawaii. The participating teachers—Stanford/Freeman SEAS Hawaii Fellows—also receive teaching resources from SPICE and share pedagogical strategies to support their teaching in the high school classroom.

Image
Freeman Foundation folks

SPICE is grateful to the Freeman Foundation for its generous support of Stanford SEAS Hawaii and EWC President Vares-Lum for her commitment to continuing the EWC’s long history of working with SPICE. Photo above (left to right): Gary Mukai and the Freeman Foundation’s President Graeme Freeman, Senior Program Officer Alec Freeman, and Office Manager Robin Sato.

Read More

Stanford Professor Kären Wigen gives a virtual seminar for Stanford SEAS Hawaii
News

Teachers in Hawaii Connect with Stanford Scholars

Twenty-four high school educators comprise the inaugural cohort of Stanford/Freeman SEAS Hawaii Fellows.
Teachers in Hawaii Connect with Stanford Scholars
SPICE Instructor Kasumi Yamashita speaks with Native and Indigenous educators
Blogs

Indigenous Voices: Educational Perspectives from Navajo, Native Hawaiian, and Ainu Scholars in the Diaspora

This article recaps a June 18, 2021 webinar that featured three Native and Indigenous scholars and includes recommendations for using the webinar recording in classrooms.
Indigenous Voices: Educational Perspectives from Navajo, Native Hawaiian, and Ainu Scholars in the Diaspora
Stanford/SPICE East Asia Seminars for Teachers in Hawaii
News

Announcing the Stanford/SPICE East Asia Seminars for Teachers in Hawaii

SPICE, with generous support from the Freeman Foundation, is proud to announce the launch of a new teacher professional development opportunity for secondary school teachers in Hawaii.
Announcing the Stanford/SPICE East Asia Seminars for Teachers in Hawaii
All News button
1
Subtitle

SPICE will host a 2022 teacher summer institute at the East-West Center, continuing its longstanding relationship with the Center.

Subscribe to North America