On April 14 and 15, JICUF held its board meeting at ICU. The last time that the JICUF board gathered at ICU was five years ago, in April 2018. After a long hiatus due to the pandemic, JICUF board members and staff were delighted to visit the beautiful campus in the spring. 

Ten out of eleven JICUF board members and all four staff were present. ICU President Shoichiro Iwakiri, Vice Presidents Robert Eskildsen and Mark Williams, and many ICU trustees warmly welcomed the JICUF delegation. 

Day 1

On Friday, April 14, JICUF President & CEO Paul Hastings gave a presentation about the history of JICUF, financial model, and the evolution of JICUF’s work. This was followed by discussion on the relationship between ICU and JICUF, and how we could work closer together towards our shared vision. 

An elegant lunch was hosted by ICU in the cafeteria. More than 30 people from both ICU and JICUF enjoyed meeting for the first time or catching up. 

The discussion on the relationship between ICU and JICUF was resumed after lunch, followed by a session with recipients of four types of scholarships that JICUF provides: the Syrian Scholars Initiative, the U.S. Scholars Initiative, the Japan-Ukraine University Pathways, and the Study Abroad Scholarship. Norimasa Orii, Representative Director, and Hiroaki Ishii, Director of Pathways Japan, JICUF’s close partner in implementing SSI and JUUP, were also present. JICUF staff and ICU administrators spent an hour talking to the students over coffee. It was a wonderful opportunity for the JICUF trustees to finally meet many of the students that JICUF has been supporting.

In the late afternoon, ICU administrators gave a tour of the brand new Troyer Memorial Arts and Sciences Hall. The striking building designed by the renowned architect Kengo Kuma included the Hub Central with an open space and café, the largest classroom at ICU that can accommodate 300 students, and many laboratories. 

The first day concluded with a reception in the cafeteria hosted by JICUF. ICU faculty, students, staff, alumni and outside partners that JICUF has worked with were invited. More than 100 guests mingled for two and a half hours. The student gospel choir Clumsy Chorus gave a performance. 

Day 2

On Saturday, April 15, President Iwakiri presented the latest developments at ICU. This was followed by further discussion on the collaboration between our two institutions. 

In the afternoon, a number of recipients of JICUF grants gave poster presentations about their projects. Like the meeting with scholarship recipients on Day 1, it was an important opportunity for JICUF trustees and ICU administrators to see how JICUF was supporting the ICU community.. Presenters included Professor Bernardo Brown (Anthropology) and his two students who conducted fieldwork on food sovereignty in Argentina; ICU high school teacher Minako Kuhara and her students who started a farm project; and Ayumi Yoshihashi and Kou Numano, students who held free English workshops in a public junior high school in Saitama Prefecture. 

After the executive session, President Iwakiri graciously hosted a dinner for JICUF at a charming restaurant in Kichijoji. 

We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to our ICU colleagues for welcoming us. We look forward to further strengthening our relationship and working together towards our common goal.