JICUF has been exploring ways to continue supporting the ICU community in an environment that has drastically changed since the onset of the pandemic. We are excited to announce three new initiatives. Two of the initiatives, the Global Alumni Speakers Series and the Japan and the Sustainable Development Goals, are online discussion series for ICU students and alumni. The third, called the Common Good Grant, is an experiential-learning project that provides a select group of ICU students with the opportunity to learn about and make small grants to community organizations near ICU.

Each of these initiatives, which is described in further detail below, has been developed with careful attention to our new mission and vision and keeping mind the limitations to travel and in-person gatherings brought about by the global pandemic. We have also been working in close collaboration with the ICU administration, faculty and alumni as we have developed these programs. Here is a description of each initiative.

Global Alumni Speakers Series

This online series is an opportunity for alumni and students to learn about the inspiring work and lives of ICU alumni, and to engage in meaningful dialogue. Each session will feature an ICU alumna/us who lives or has lived outside of Japan or who has pursued a career that is global in nature. Registration for the sessions will be open to students and alumni. The first three sessions have been scheduled, and you can learn more at this link.

Japan and the Sustainable Development Goals

This online discussion series will focus on how contemporary global challenges are understood and addressed within Japanese society. The series will utilize the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and each session will focus on a significant global challenge associated with one or more SDG. The sessions will feature talks by two experts and will be moderated by an ICU professor. Participants will break out into small groups to have a discussion and report back to the plenary. The series is primarily intended for ICU students, although space will be reserved for a small number of ICU alumni and friends of JICUF. The program intends to deepen participants’ knowledge about contemporary global challenges, understand how these challenges are manifest within Japanese society, and explore how to contribute to potential solutions.

Common Good Grant Project (webpage coming soon)

The Common Good Grant project is a collaboration between JICUF and ICU’s Service-Learning Center. The project provides a select group of students an opportunity to lead the process of planning, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating a grant-making initiative in which grants are awarded to nonprofit, community and social business organizations within the local community. It aims to develop practical skills in communication and leadership, and to deepen their understanding of philanthropy and sense of service to the common good.