
Winter 2022-23 JICUF Grant Recipients Announced
In late February, the JICUF Grants Committee reviewed 18 proposals for the winter 2022-23 term and approved 11 (1 from faculty, 1 from alums, and 9 from ICU students), awarding a total of ¥5,174,520 in funding. Congratulations to the awardees!

JICUF Grantee Spotlight: Okinawan Identity Formulation Through Craft Beer by Runa Oshiro
Runa Oshiro, who graduated from the ICU Graduate School this month, received a JICUF grant to conduct field research for her master’s thesis on how Okinawan identity is expressed through local beer. We interviewed her about her research project.

Introducing Sachiko Tokai, Communications & Operations Associate
On March 1, Sachiko Tokai joined the JICUF team as a Communications and Operations Associate. Welcome Sachiko!

JICUF Publishes 2022 Impact Report
JICUF has published its 2022 Impact Report. The report highlights the people and organizations we worked with and supported over the past year.

JICUF Hosts ICU Student Weekend in NYC
From Friday, January 20 to Sunday, January 22, JICUF hosted the first ever “ICU Student Weekend” in NYC for ICU students currently studying in the US through ICU’s exchange program. 22 students participated across the US from California to New Jersey.

Japan-Ukraine University Pathways Reception Held at US Ambassador’s Residence
United States Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel hosted a reception for the Japan-Ukraine University Pathways program at his official residence on Thursday, December 8. Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and Ukrainian Ambassador Sergei Korsunsky were in attendance along with 60 Ukrainian students, representatives from 18 host universities, corporate and foundation sponsors, and leaders of the Ukrainian expatriate community in Japan.

Fall 2022 JICUF Grant Recipients Announced
In late fall, the JICUF Grants Committee reviewed 22 proposals and approved 15 of them (9 from faculty, 6 from ICU students) awarding a total of ¥10,341,123 in funding. Congratulations to the awardees!

Introducing New JICUF Student Photography Interns (2022-23)
Meet Hinata Saito and Daiki Murakoshi, JICUF’s new student photography interns!

JICUF Grantee Highlight: Christmas Concert with Johannes Sebastian Bach’s Mass in B-Minor
Nozomi Sato, professor of music and director of ICU’s Sacred Music Center, received a ¥1,100,000 grant from JICUF to invite professional musicians to perform one of Bach’s final masterpieces, “Mass in B Minor” at ICU. Over several months, ICU students have been practicing with these professional musicians in preparation for the ICU Christmas Concert on December 10th. We asked Prof. Sato and some of the student musicians for their thoughts on the concert and to share their experiences getting ready for the big concert.
2021 JICUF Study Abroad Scholar Mariko Kawasaki
ICU student Mariko Kawasaki was one of the recipients of the 2021 JICUF Study Abroad Scholarship last year. Mariko studied at the University of California, and has recently completed her study abroad program. We asked her some questions about her time at UC.