Applications opened last week for Stanford e-Entrepreneurship Japan (SeEJ), an all-English online course to foster Japanese students’ creative thinking and innovative problem-solving skills to address social issues. SeEJ is offered twice annually in the fall and spring by SPICE and the non-profit organization e-Entrepreneurship in Japan. The instructors are Irene Bryant (fall) and Makiko Hirata (spring). It is open to Japanese students in their first and second years of high school. The spring 2024 course will run from early April through August.

The application form is now live at https://forms.gle/Dnj57MD88NrzR37h7. The deadline to apply is March 15, 2024 23:59 Japan Time.

SeEJ offers students an opportunity to engage with impactful entrepreneurs from California and beyond through its virtual classes offered twice a month on Sundays. The course will culminate in two research projects, one done individually, and the other as a group. The group project will be presented in front of several guest judges who will evaluate each group’s social innovation to address current issues. Students who successfully complete the course will receive a Certificate of Completion from SPICE and NPO e-Entrepreneurship.

Applicants need to be available and committed to attending virtual classes on the following Sunday mornings: April 21 (9:30 a.m.–12 p.m.), May 5 (10 a.m.–12 p.m.), May 26 (10 a.m.–12 p.m.), June 9 (10 a.m.–12 p.m.), June 30 (9:30 a.m.–12 p.m.), July 28 (9:30 a.m.–12 p.m.), August 11 (10 a.m.–12 p.m.). These dates and times are all in Japan Standard Time.

For more information about Stanford e-Entrepreneurship Japan, visit the program webpage. To apply, submit the online application by March 15.

Stanford e-Entrepreneurship Japan is one of several online courses offered by SPICE.

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The following is a guest post written by Alexandra Arguello, who participated in “Introduction to Issues in International Security,” a high school course offered by SPICE and taught by Dr. Ignacio Ornelas Rodriguez.

I am Alexandra Arguello, a graduate of Everett Alvarez High School and a current undergraduate student at Harvard University pursuing a degree in International Relations. I was a participant in the “Introduction to Issues in International Security” course that was offered by SPICE and developed in consultation with scholars from the Center for International Security and Cooperation.

Salinas, California, often labeled as the #1 least educated city in the United States with a state-record dropout rate of 20 percent, posed a challenging educational environment. In this setting, the opportunity to learn, particularly about international issues, was scarce. Salinas primarily consists of first-generation, POC students, highlighting the imperative for us to stay informed about global matters and adapt our perspectives accordingly. This is why I am profoundly grateful that Dr. Ignacio Ornelas Rodriguez, a Salinas native himself, curated SPICE’s “Introduction to Issues in International Security” course specifically for communities like ours.

This 12-week college-level seminar, guided by scholars and experts in the field, enabled me to explore a spectrum of global issues—from terrorism and counterterrorism to international security, nuclear weapons, ethnic cleansing, and biosecurity. Delving into historical approaches to combating terrorism in the Middle East, North Korea’s nuclear proliferation, Russo-Ukrainian violence, and the Uyghur genocide added a profound layer to my understanding.

What intrigued me most during this journey was the perspective through which we examined solutions. These solutions were shaped by an introspective analysis of the systems and structures perpetuating inequality. This experience marked my first critical awareness of such issues, significantly expanding my insights into the world’s most pressing issues.

The conclusion of this program was unforgettable. We held a ceremony where I received recognition from the Monterey County Board of Supervisors, interacted with politicians, and formed bonds with community members. This was an experience I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to engage in if I had not participated in this program.

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Upon completing the course in my senior year of high school, I began my educational journey at Harvard University. When I later obtained my admissions file, revealing what stood out to my admissions officers, SPICE’s “Introduction to Issues in International Security” course emerged as a significant factor. The admissions committee found it particularly unique that I received education at Stanford, especially given the limited educational resources in my community. (photo above courtesy Alexandra Arguello)

Now, approaching the end of my first year at Harvard, I reflect on the profound impact of the Stanford course. The course played a crucial role in shaping my academic path, leading me to pursue a special concentration in International Relations. Amid the eruption of the Israel-Palestine war, I have been able to rely on the information I learned in this program to guide conversations on campus toward political security. The insights gained during the seminar influenced my decision to delve into these critical global issues for the next four years.

Looking ahead, my aspiration is to build a career in international diplomacy and government, driven by the awareness of human rights issues intricately connected to international security. The period spent in this program remains a defining chapter in my life, and I am particularly grateful for the exposure it provided, shaping my intellectual pursuits and future aspirations.

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Applications opened this week 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 fellowship from April to July 2024.

The application form is now live at https://forms.gle/DSW48Jegfr5UcmBT8. The deadline to apply is February 25, 2024.

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 (April–June) and at a culminating three-day in-person teacher institute in Honolulu in July 2024. 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.

“I can truly say that I took away a lot from this experience,” said former fellow Michael Hamilton, who teaches AP World History and AP U.S. Government and Politics at Leilehua High School. “The lectures were outstanding, especially the pre-reading material that I have already used in some classes. Also, the curriculum demonstration provided a model for me to use in my classroom. Small group discussions with my fellow educators, and sharing with them resources has added to my toolbox.”

Mililani High School teacher Amy Boehning agreed. “The lectures and materials on Japan, China, and Korea were incredible and so useful in filling in the gaps of my own knowledge. It just tied everything together with the connections presented. I walked away from the institute a stronger teacher, inspired to continue teaching about Asia in all of the subjects I teach.”

For more information about Stanford SEAS Hawai‘i, visit the program webpage. To apply, submit the online application by February 25.

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.
 

• East Asia Summer Institute for Middle School Teachers
• Virtual East Asia Seminar for High School Teachers in California
• Community College Programs

During a visit to Okayama Prefecture in 2019, members of the Okayama Prefectural Board of Education kindly brought me to Korakuen Garden, one of Japan’s three most celebrated gardens that dates back to the 17th century. I was especially struck by a unique bridge called Yatsuhashi (“eight bridges”), that consists of eight planks used to cross a pond. The name “yatsuhashi” comes from the Heian period (794 to 1185) collection of poems and narratives, The Tales of Ise. 

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When I think of the academic and professional pathways taken by Mariko Yang-Yoshihara, who works as an instructor and an education researcher for SPICE, I think of Yatsuhashi, which  I crossed in Korakuen Garden. (Photo above: Yatsuhashi at Korakuen, Okayama; photo courtesy Gary Mukai.)

As a graduate of the all-girls Sacred Heart Schools in Tokyo, she was nurtured to think as a global citizen and remain committed to the promotion of women’s empowerment. Since obtaining a B.A. in Literature from the University of the Sacred Heart in Japan, she has stayed actively engaged in the alumni network. I think of her years at the Sacred Heart institutions in Tokyo as the first academic plank that she crossed, navigating herself into the wider world.

The second academic plank that she crossed was in the United States where she earned a B.A. in Political Science from the University of California, Irvine, and an M.A. and a PhD in Political Science from Stanford University. Her dissertation focused on the administration of Japan’s technology and science policy, and her PhD advisor was Professor Daniel Okimoto. Yang-Yoshihara’s encounter with the ecosystem and educational approaches in Silicon Valley has laid the foundation of her commitment to cultivating the future generation of innovative and empathetic thinkers. To put it differently, her focus on innovation and education form the materials that make up the many planks that she would traverse in the subsequent years.

In 2016, she co-founded with Professor Rie Kijima (PhD, Stanford, 2013) SKY Labo, a non-profit organization which provides educational programs that embrace design thinking as a pedagogical approach, aiming to foster empathy, promote humanistic perspectives, and inspire youths to become change makers. SKY Labo’s inquiry-based program, designed to challenge the STEM gender gap in Japan and shift the perceptions of young women toward technology and engineering, obtained official support from the Gender Equality Bureau of Japan’s Cabinet Office in 2019 and received the Semi-Grand Prix of Nissan Foundation’s Rikajyo Ikusei Sho (Award Promoting the Next Generation of Women in STEM) in August 2022. Yang-Yoshihara co-authored with Kijima a book on STEAM education and design thinking, 世界を変えるSTEAM人材―シリコンバレー「デザイン思考」の核心, which was published by Asahi Shinbun Press in 2019. The book is in its second printing and was translated into the Chinese language as 硅谷是如何培养创新人才的 by the Zhejiang People’s Publishing House (浙江人民出版社) in 2021. I see SKY Labo serving as the third plank of yatsuhashi that she is traversing.

Also in 2016, Yang-Yoshihara co-organized the Stanford-Silicon Valley U.S.-Japan Dialogue: Womenomics, the Workplace, and Women and published the final report. This conference and final report—which I see as her fourth plank—was with the Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center or Shorenstein APARC, where she had once worked as a doctoral researcher, a recipient of the Barbara Hillman Research Fellowship, and a third term participant of the Asia Pacific Scholars Program. She continues to collaborate with many of the conference presenters and also Professor Kiyoteru Tsutsui, Japan Program Director, Shorenstein APARC.

Since joining SPICE in 2019, Yang-Yoshihara has utilized inquiry-based pedagogy to design, develop, and teach innovative online courses and seminars on subjects including social entrepreneurship, gender equity, and sustainability. Mariko designed and co-instructs the Stanford-Hiroshima Collaboration Project on Entrepreneurship (SHCPE), a graduate course for the Hiroshima Business Management School at the Prefectural University of Hiroshima. She has also developed a course on entrepreneurship and sustainability education in collaboration with Eikei University, Hiroshima Prefecture’s new liberal arts college. She also served as the inaugural instructor and now as an advisor to Stanford e-Eiri, a high school course that explores the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with a special focus on gender equity. The current Stanford e-Eiri instructor is Mia Kimura. I see Yang-Yoshihara’s teaching engagements at SPICE as the fifth plank of her yatsuhashi.

In addition to her role at SPICE, Yang-Yoshihara is a Visiting Professor at Tohoku University, serving as a faculty member of the School of Engineering and an academic advisor to graduate students in the Department of Management Science and Technology. She gives lectures to engage Japan’s future engineers and aspiring scientists to think at the crossroads of STEM and humanities, an approach she calls STEAM. This sixth plank illustrates how she tries to transmit her knowledge and experiences to inspire the next generation beyond the SPICE audiences. 

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Her research has been guided by a keen curiosity at the intersection between innovation and education. Her scholarly works can be found in volumes by academic publishers such as the MIT Press and the Tokyo University Press, as well as in peer-reviewed journals including the International Journal of STEM Education, Thinking Skills and Creativity, and Administrative Sciences. Most recently, she co-edited The Emerald Handbook of Research Management and Administration Around the World (2023, Emerald Publishing), collaborating with Dr. Simon Kerridge (University of Kent) and Dr. Susi Poli (University of Bologna). This book stands as the most comprehensive work to date on professionals in research management and administration (RMAs), providing insights and observations offered by 127 researchers and practitioners representing 50 countries across Africa, North America, South America, Asia, Australasia, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, and the Middle East. Evident in the unprecedented scale of the book is Yang-Yoshihara’s aspiration to contribute to the future generation of innovative change-makers. The ebook edition is Open Access and freely available to read online. This seventh plank that she is navigating, focusing on research, is quickly expanding with participation from people worldwide. (The book cover above was reproduced with permission from Emerald Publishing Limited.)

As for the eighth plank, I am very much looking forward to what lies ahead as she continues to drive ideas where education, innovation, and research intersect. 

I vividly remember the announcement by CBS news anchor Walter Cronkite of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. on April 4, 1968 at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennesee. I was a middle school student in San Jose, California. On the following day, nothing was mentioned in my middle school classes about Martin Luther King, Jr.’s assassination. In fact, in my elementary and secondary school years, I had been exposed to very little about African Americans and their history.

Martin Luther King, Jr., who was born on January 15, 1929, would be turning 95 this year, and 41 years have passed since Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday was approved as a federal holiday in 1983. SPICE recommends the use of a 13-minute lecture—titled “Civil and Human Rights: The Martin Luther King, Jr. Legacy” by Dr. Clayborne Carson—for use at the high school and college levels. Dr. Carson is the Martin Luther King, Jr. Centennial Professor Emeritus at the Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law, FSI, at Stanford University. In the video lecture, Professor Carson not only discusses Martin Luther King, Jr. as a civil rights leader but also examines his larger vision of seeing the African American struggle as a worldwide struggle for citizenship rights and human rights.

A free classroom-friendly discussion guide for this video is available for download at the webpage linked above. The organizing questions that are listed in the guide are:

• What are civil and human rights?
• What were the significant achievements of the Civil Rights Movement?
• What is Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy in terms of civil and human rights?
• How are Martin Luther King, Jr.’s vision, ideas, and leadership still relevant today?
• How is the American Civil Rights Movement similar and different from other rights-related movements?

SPICE also recommends the resources on the following websites for use in classrooms.

• The Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute supports a broad range of educational activities illuminating Dr. King’s life and the movements he inspired. Dr. Carson is the founding director of the Institute.
• The World House Project works to realize Martin Luther King, Jr.’s vision of the world as a large house in which “we must learn somehow to live with each other in peace.” Dr. Carson is the director of the Project.
• The educational website “What Does It Mean to Be an American?” offers six lessons on immigration, civic engagement, leadership, civil liberties & equity, justice & reconciliation, and U.S.–Japan relations. The lessons encourage critical thinking through class activities and discussions.

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With start-up companies and cafes popping up throughout the city, it’s no wonder that Fukuoka is called the Silicon Valley of Japan. Meiji era schoolhouses and red-brick buildings that housed insurance companies a century ago are now being turned into start-up cafes for entrepreneurs and community cultural centers. In November 2023, the city even began offering foreign entrepreneurs a “startup visa” that allows them to stay in Japan for up to a year to help launch their businesses.

During my visit to Fukuoka in November 2023, I wasn’t surprised to learn that Fukuoka Governor Seitaro Hattori had just returned from Boston where he and his delegation—representing governmental, corporate, academic, and emerging sectors—met with Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey, hosted a pitch event for entrepreneurs, visited MIT, and promoted Fukuoka’s famous Yame green tea in New York City.

Governor Hattori (photo below) joined Stanford e-Fukuoka’s closing ceremony at the prefectural government office on a crisp November day, as U.S. and Japanese flags waved overhead. There, he addressed the 17 students who gathered from all corners of the prefecture and offered words of encouragement for their participation in the six-month course. He remarked, “Through your participation in Stanford e-Fukuoka, you have been able to experience things that can’t be learned or experienced in a regular classroom. As we confront challenging global issues and conflicts, I hope we can overcome them by holding onto what is important. Do not let the fear of making mistakes hold you back from your pursuits.”

2022–23 Stanford e-Fukuoka honorees Rui Ogura (Chikushi Jogakuen Senior High School) and Ayumi Ryu (Kurume High School) shared their thoughts about the program and their recent visit to Stanford University in August 2023. Ogura stated, “I would like to express my sincere gratitude for giving me such a wonderful learning opportunity. Although the lecture content was extremely difficult for me, I was inspired by the high English language proficiency and proactive comments by my classmates. It made me want to work even harder.”

In her presentation at Stanford, Ogura suggested ways to rebuild a sustainable society in present-day Fukuoka based on the eco-friendly lifestyle of the Edo period. Ogura added, “Through the six-month-long Stanford e-Fukuoka program, I reaffirmed the importance of ‘staying curious.’ Kasumi-sensei encouraged me to keep asking questions. In addition to preparing for the lectures, I was asked to think about my research and presentation from many perspectives. As I prepared for my presentation, I received new questions every few days. Answering them made me reflect on my ideas from different angles.”

Ryu also shared her thoughts on the course. “There are many things that I gained through this course, but the two main ones are meeting diverse people and seeing things from multiple perspectives. By asking questions during lectures, sharing my own thoughts with guest speakers, and having discussions with other high school students, I not only learned about leadership but also learned about fellowship.”

At Stanford, Ryu presented on ways to create a sustainable food supply for residents of her hometown of Miyama City through the revitalization of akiya (abandoned buildings). Ryu added, “I learned how to think about social issues and how they are related to history. Through the class, I was able to think about solutions from new perspectives and used English in a practical way. I became more interested in social issues such as food systems and the preservation of historic buildings and enjoyed learning about the diverse backgrounds of each guest speaker. Stanford e-Fukuoka made me reconsider my vision for the future.”

This year, we welcomed guest speakers including Julie Wurfel, a Silicon Valley sustainable food entrepreneur; Erika Enomoto, an arts enthusiast and Product Manager at Microsoft; and Jan Johnson, the owner of Seattle’s Panama Hotel, a National Historic Landmark built in 1910 and steeped in Japanese American history. Students from Fukuoka also had a chance to exchange ideas with peers in the United States when they met Japanese language students from the Bronx High School of Science (my alma mater) online. Students from both countries enjoyed discussing a range of topics from anime and J-pop to differences in high school and college experiences in the United States and Japan. Many shared their mutual aspirations to study abroad in the future.

Stanford e-Fukuoka student Kokomi Wakizono (Fukuoka Futaba Senior High School) noted how it was not only students overseas but those nearby with whom she was able to connect. “Stanford e-Fukuoka was an amazing chance for me to learn how Fukuoka and Japan are connected to the United States. This program gave me an opportunity to meet different people, my age, with similar interests and ideas. It was also the first time that I connected with people in Kitakyushu and Kurume even though we live in the same prefecture. I was so surprised to see how we are so connected!” Izumi Matsumura (Nakamura Jogakuen High School) added, “This class made me realize that it’s not only important to learn about our own areas of interest. We need to think about how it might be related to something or someone else. I feel motivated to study various fields and find connections from a broader perspective. Just as Steve Jobs said, we need to ‘connect the dots.’”

A highlight in 2023 was when we were joined by renowned poet, educator, feminist, and human rights activist, Mitsuye Yamada, who was born in Fukuoka and emigrated to Seattle as a child. She shared stories of her youth, her family, and wartime incarceration in Minidoka. Stanford e-Fukuoka students flooded her with happy birthday wishes a few weeks before her 100th birthday. Yamada was delighted and shared her enthusiasm for lifelong learning and said, “We’re never too old to learn and share what we’ve learned.” With this thought in mind, I look forward to welcoming my students to the third year of Stanford e-Fukuoka in 2024.

Stanford e-Fukuoka was launched in Spring 2022 and is made possible through a partnership between Stanford University, the U.S. Consulate Fukuoka, and the Fukuoka Prefectural Government. I would like to extend my gratitude to the Honorable Seitaro Hattori (Governor, Fukuoka Prefecture), the Honorable Shankar D. Rao (Consul, U.S. Consulate Fukuoka), Chie Inuzuka (Director, Fukuoka American Center), and Kyoko Tomita (Teacher’s Consultant, Senior High Education Division, Fukuoka Prefectural Board of Education) for their collaboration and support in making Stanford e-Fukuoka possible. This course offers students throughout the prefecture with an opportunity to learn about U.S.–Japan relations, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and entrepreneurship. Stanford e-Fukuoka is one of SPICE’s local student programs in Japan. 

Since 2015, SPICE has offered an online course, the “SPICE/Stanford e-Course on Global Health” or Stanford e-Takatsuki to students mainly enrolled in Takatsuki Jr. and Sr. High School’s Global Advanced Course. Takatsuki Jr. and Sr. High School is located in Takatsuki City, Osaka Prefecture. 

Since its launch, the course has provided 378 students with a unique learning opportunity that includes both a broad overview of the importance of global health and a special focus on international work conducted by medical researchers and practitioners at Stanford University and beyond. The speakers from Stanford are listed below. 

• Dr. Catherine Blish, Professor of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine, Stanford Medicine; Associate Dean for Basic and Translational Research, Stanford University School of Medicine

• Dr. Fumiaki Ikeno, Program Director (U.S.) Japan Biodesign, Stanford Biodesign; Research Associate, Cardiovascular Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine

• Dr. S.V. Mahadevan, Professor of Emergency Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine; Director, Global Affairs and Strategy, Stanford University School of Medicine

• Dr. Anurag Mairal, Adjunct Professor, Stanford Graduate School of Business; Faculty Fellow and Lead, Technology Innovation and Impact at Center for Innovation in Global Health; Director, Global Outreach Programs, Stanford Byers Center for Biodesign

• Dr. Kazunari Sasaki, Clinical Associate Professor, Division of Abdominal Transplant, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine

• Dr. Samuel So, Lui Hac Minh Professor and Professor of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine; Founder and Director, Asian Liver Center, Stanford University School of Medicine

• Dr. Paul Wise, Professor in Pediatrics – Neonatal and Developmental Medicine, Stanford University; Senior Fellow, Center for Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law and the Center for International Security and Cooperation, Freeman-Spogli Institute for International Studies, Stanford University

• Dr. Phillip C. Yang, Professor of Medicine (Cardiovascular Medicine), Stanford University School of Medicine

From September to March over the past nine years, the students have participated in “virtual classes” in English and have had the opportunity to engage the guest lecturers in question-and-answer sessions. The virtual classes have covered a variety of topics ranging from stem cell research to psychiatry. Course instructor Sabrina Ishimatsu commented:

In teaching this course, I feel so indebted to the guest lecturers who have not only shared their expertise with my students in an accessible way but also served as excellent role models. The primary aim of the course is to nurture future global leaders who have a profound awareness of the significance of global health. I am extremely honored to be part of a course that brings together leading medical professionals from Stanford and other institutions with curious and driven high school students who are interested in expanding their minds on global health topics. Many of our past speakers have said they were impressed with the students’ high level of questions.

Tsuyoshi Kudo, Takatsuki’s principal, reflected:

The education SPICE has given to Takatsuki Jr. and Sr. High School for the past nine years is so much that I can’t possibly put my thanks into words. I sincerely hope we’ll be able to continue this wonderful e-course. Many alumni of Stanford e-Takatsuki have gone on to pursue medical studies, and I believe that their academic studies continue to be shaped by many of the scholars whom they met in the course.

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On November 10, 2023, I had the opportunity to visit Takatsuki Jr. and Sr. High School for the first time since before the pandemic. I had the chance to meet with Principal Kudo, give a talk titled “What Does It Mean to Be a Global Citizen?” to former and current students of the SPICE/Stanford e-Course on Global Health, and meet with the faculty at the school. (Photo above courtesy of Takatsuki Jr. and Sr. High School; Principal Kudo appears on the far left, front row.) 

During my visit, I realized again what an exemplary school Takatsuki Jr. and Sr. High School is under the incredible vision and leadership of Principal Kudo. Under his leadership, Takatsuki Jr. and Sr. High School has obtained both “Super Science High School” (SSH) and “Super Global High School” (SGH) designations awarded by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). What an honor it has been for Sabrina Ishimatsu and me to collaborate with Principal Kudo and Takatsuki Jr. and Sr. High School for nine years. 

For more information about SPICE’s online courses for students, visit our Student Programs page. To stay informed of SPICE news, join our email list and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

September 16 marked the start of a six-month-long exploration of globally important, regionally relevant topics of study in the city of Kagoshima, Japan. Twenty-five high school students from area schools converged at city hall early Saturday to begin their participation in Stanford e-Kagoshima City, an online learning course offered by the Stanford Program on International and Cross-Cultural Education (SPICE).

The air was stiflingly humid that morning as we headed into the city hall building to attend the opening ceremony. Despite the unbearable heat, the students looked bright and cheery in their uniforms as they walked into the room and deftly took their seats.

We opened the inaugural session of Stanford e-Kagoshima City with many words of encouragement from Mayor Takao Shimozuru and City Council Chairman Keiji Kawagoe to the student body. They remarked on the importance of trying one’s best and remaining positive even in times of challenges. The young people in the room are the future, they said, and they hoped to see many great things from this generation—not only as Kagoshima residents but as global citizens. They emphasized that this program should be one of enjoyment and excitement and not something to be feared. Those words helped ease the tension around the room, and students seemed to fall back on their chairs slightly as they waited for the next part of the program.

SPICE Director Gary Mukai joined the ceremony by Zoom to encourage students to think about some key points:

• Rely on one’s curiosity to add meaning to one’s lives and strive to create a more inclusive world.
• Think about the significance of the learned knowledge as it applies to one’s life.
• Always remind oneself to consider other perspectives on an issue. 
• Understand empathy. 
• Don’t be afraid to make mistakes or fail to meet expectations. It’s all part of the learning process.

Soon it was my turn at the podium to conduct the first presentation for Stanford e-Kagoshima City. Beyond the self-introductions and course overview information, I wanted most to let the students know that the program would be an opportunity to make new friends, grow self-confidence, speak one’s mind, learn lots of English, and understand one’s importance in the community and in the world. A tall order, but one that I felt encompassed everything SPICE and the greater Stanford institution represent.

The students played an ice breaker game to start things off. They got into small groups to answer random questions, such as “Describe a childhood memory you remember very clearly” and “If you could meet someone in the past who is no longer alive, who would it be and why?” As I went around the room to listen in, I could see that they were slowly getting acclimated to sharing their responses. As time passed, I could hear more laughter and see more smiles around the room. I felt relieved that the outcome was better than I’d hoped to mark the start of their learning journey.

I am grateful for the generosity from the Kagoshima City government, including the department of education staff. Much appreciation goes to Mayor Shimozuru, City Council Chairman Kawagoe, Superintendent Haranosono, and Consul Strader Payton, Public Affairs Office (U.S. Consulate Fukuoka) for enabling SPICE to bring the regional teaching program to Kagoshima. Additionally, Administrative Manager Komura, Director of School Education Division Sadohara, Manager of School Education Divisions Nakamura contributed greatly toward creating a solid virtual learning program. Lastly, my counterpart instructor, Chiemi Hamada, has been at the forefront and is instrumental in bringing about the successful onboarding of the students to the program. I owe her much gratitude.

On November 6, 2023, I had the honor of making a visit to Yokohama Eiri Girls’ High School (formerly Takagi Girls’ High School) for the first time since 2019. In fall 2020, Yokohama Eiri Girls’ High School—in collaboration with SPICE—launched Stanford e-Eiri, an online course that introduces global topics that focus on the UN Sustainable Development Goals.  

The Principal and Chair of the Board of Directors of Yokohama Eiri Girls’ High School is Akiko Takagi, who was formally educated in Japan (Keio University) and the UK (MBA, London Business School) and the United States (Northwestern University). The instructor of the course is Mia Kimura, who was formally educated in the United States (Brown University) and Japan (MBA, Hitotsubashi University) and SPICE’s advisor to Yokohama Eiri Girls’ High School is Mariko Yang-Yoshihara, who was also formally educated in both Japan (University of the Sacred Heart) and the United States (PhD, Stanford University).

Mia Kimura noted the following about Stanford e-Eiri: 

Stanford e-Eiri aims to provide Eiri’s juniors with a unique opportunity to explore and learn from each other about global issues that directly impact their lives. The primary goal of the course is to equip students with both the knowledge and skills necessary to engage in conversations with counterparts about global issues in English. The course consists of seven modules, each featuring a curriculum developed and facilitated by a group of students. Additionally, each module includes a mini lecture on a supporting topic, delivered by the course instructor. Students are encouraged to select a specific issue, conduct in-depth research, design assignments for their classmates, and ultimately create and facilitate an interactive lesson plan to share their findings, analyses, and recommended actions. This year’s students have chosen to focus on topics such as women’s rights, artificial intelligence, climate change, food waste, and education. The culmination of the course involves a virtual exchange with juniors at Castilleja School, an all-girls high school located in the heart of Silicon Valley.

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During my visit, I had the pleasure of giving a guest lecture on “What Does It Mean to Be a Global Citizen?” to students enrolled in Stanford e-Eiri; photo above courtesy Yokohama Eiri Girls’ High School. In my lecture, I shared the following definition of a “global citizen” from Oxfam.

A global citizen is someone who is aware of and understands the wider world—and their place in it. They take an active role in their community and work with others to make our planet more peaceful, sustainable and fairer.

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Akiko Takagi (photo above left), Mia Kimura (photo above middle), and Mariko Yang-Yoshihara (photo above right) are three people who come immediately to mind when I think of global citizens who are also excellent role models for girls. 

The founder, Kimi Takagi, of Takagi Girls’ High School, founded in 1908, also strikes me as a visionary global citizen from the late 19th and early 20th century. Takagi’s founding vision was “to educate women to become trusted and productive members of the society.” An article about Kimi Takagi by Dr. Yang-Yoshihara can be found here.

As I spoke to the Stanford e-Eiri students, I came to realize again how fortunate the students are to be the recipients of Kimi Takagi’s global vision that is being transmitted to them through Akiko Takagi and the teachers of Yokohama Eiri Girls’ High School and through Mia Kimura’s course, Stanford e-Eiri. Kimura reflected, “I am optimistic that, by challenging the students to take a leadership role in developing the course curriculum, they will not only experience the sense of accomplishment that comes from curiosity-driven learning but also actively contribute to solutions for the issues facing their generation. It’s incredibly rewarding for me to see the enthusiasm the Eiri students bring to their work, and the growth they achieve in our time together.”

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