Pictures: Emi with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and U.S. Ambassador to Japan John Roos

Name: Emi Lea Kamemoto

Grade: Senior, Class of 2013

Major: International Affairs Major with a Concentration in International Development and International Politics

Minor: Sociocultural Anthropology

Summer Internship: The TOMODACHI Initiative (www.usjapantomodachi.com) - a public-private partnership that seeks to create a TOMODACHI (tomodachi means friend in Japanese) Generation amongst youth in Japan and the United States by promoting the pillars of leadership, friendship, and hope through educational and cultural exchanges in the U.S. and Japan.

Where in Asia: United States Embassy of Tokyo, Japan

What did you do this summer (2012)?

I essentially worked my dream job this summer with the TOMODACHI Initiative. I was given the opportunity to help coordinate youth dialogue among Japanese and American students to discuss ways to strengthen US-Japan relations at the people-to-people level. I spoke with students from the Tohoku region, which was hardest hit by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, and prepared the first members of our TOMODACHI Generation embark on their exchange program to UC Berkeley. I utilized my English and Japanese language abilities, as well as my public speaking skills, to assist the amazing young people in Japan and the United States who are dedicated to building a better future.

How did you get the position?

I became involved in the Japanese community in D.C. right from the start by joining GWU’s Japanese American Student Alliance (JASA). Through JASA, I was introduced to all of the wonderful Japan-related organizations, including the U.S.-Japan Council, which I was particularly drawn to because of its focus on fostering people-to-people connections. Right before 2012 summer, I met with two of my acquaintances (and now friends!) from the U.S.-Japan Council for coffee, and it just so happened that the Executive Director of the TOMODACHI Initiative, Laura Abbot, was in the DC office. After rushing home to change out of my flip-flops, I met Abbot-san and spoke with her about how much I love the TOMODACHI Initiative, and a suggestion to volunteer quickly changed into an offer for a full time internship!

What did you learn from this experience, and why was it meaningful?

I think I learned that a small group of people with the right support can truly make a huge difference. The TOMODACHI Team (as we call ourselves) is no more than 5 full time employees yet this summer alone TOMODACHI sent over 500 students from Tohoku to the US on these cultural exchanges that ranged from leadership workshops, city planning and reconstruction seminars, to baseball exchanges. This team, with the help of the US Embassy in Tokyo, the U.S.-Japan Council, private companies and NGO’s has made an unquantifiable impact on these young people from Tohoku. 

What is it like to work in Japan?

Japan is HOT in the summer! I also completely forgot about the month long rainy season so if you are in East Asia over the summer, pack an umbrella, poncho, and boots! Learning polite/formal Japanese was a must, as I ran around downtown Tokyo to big offices like Coca-Cola, Apple, and Google to obtain documents, and every person in Tokyo carries a small towel or handkerchief, so I encourage everyone to buy one immediately upon landing in Japan!

What did you do on your free time?

I spent a great deal of time with my family in Tokyo and in Miyazaki Prefecture. A relaxing cup of delicious green tea and practicing calligraphy with my grandparents was a welcomed change of pace. Also, I was able to enjoy awesome yakiniku (Japanese bbq) and day trips to Kamakura, Enoshima, and Hakone with university students I met through my internship.

What was a memorable moment in your internship?

Preparing a speech to give in front of Secretary Hillary Clinton.

Secretary Clinton wanted to meet with Japanese and American students while she visited Tokyo, so I was asked to prepare some remarks about our TOMODACHI Generation. I spent time with Mark Davidson-san, the Minister of Public Affairs at the US Embassy, to go over my speech, and he particularly liked my metaphor comparing the rush hour Tokyo trains to the closeness I hope Japanese and Americans can achieve.  Unfortunately, a change in schedule prevented me from giving my speech directly to Secretary Clinton, but I was still able to share my thoughts with Ambassador John Roos, and my great aunt all the way in Kyushu was able to see my face on television!

Did what you study in GW help?

If it weren’t for my involvement in JASA and my sorority, Kappa Phi Lambda, I don’t think I would have been prepared to handle the level of responsibility I was given. I was in contact with top-level business leaders and had to manage different projects all at the same time. Having worked as president of JASA during the aftermath of March 11^th, I felt prepared for the workload, and Kappa Phi Lambda has taught me everything I know about time management and making lasting relationships. Professor Mochizuki’s International Affairs of East Asia class was also a saving grace as I met many of the key players in the current events we spoke of!

Any last words?

Please support the TOMODACHI Initiative and feel free to contact me about information regarding involvement in the Japanese community in DC or in TOMODACHI.

For this fall semester, Emi will be attending Nanzan University in Nagoya, Japan. 

Interns for the Asia Program at the Atlantic Council are vital contributors to the program's conduct of international dialogues and in-depth analysis of Asia and Global affairs.

The mission of the Atlantic Council is to renew the transatlantic community for 21st century global challenges. The Asia Program addresses critical Asian affairs of interest to the transatlantic community. This includes a particular focus on Asian regional security, economic, and social affairs - particularly those of Mainland China, Taiwan, and the two Koreas - and Asia's role in world affairs. The Asia Program also addresses the policy implications of long term global trends for governments worldwide. Program activities on long term global trends focus on building an international dialogue among scholars, NGOs, businesses, and governments analyzing long-range international political, economic, security, social, and environmental trends and documenting their policy implications for national governments, businesses, communities, and multilateral institutions worldwide.

The Program conducts research and project activities on these and other topics, which includes conducting international dialogues in Asia and four other continents with a wide variety of government, NGO, and private sector partners; public seminars on specific Asia affairs featuring prominent policymakers, business leaders, and foreign affairs experts from around the world; public speeches by senior U.S. and global policy makers; off-the-record briefings; research and writing for publications, issue briefs, and the New Atlanticist policy analysis blog; drafting proposals for fund raising efforts, and other associated activities.

The program seeks well-organized, highly reliable, motivated candidates who thrive in a fast-paced environment and demonstrate initiative.

The position is non-paid, but candidates gain valuable skills, experience, knowledge, and contacts in the Washington, DC policy community.

Interns for the Asia Program provide important research and logistical support to assist these efforts and program staff. Interns work closely with the Program Director and his deputy in supporting the activities of the Program. Interns are also encouraged to pursue their own research projects and to write and publish their own policy briefs or blog posts.

Responsibilities:

• Conduct research to support the activities of the Director and his deputies.
• Produce the daily international security news brief.
• Manage program contacts and knowledge.
• Draft correspondence and take notes at Council roundtables and strategy sessions for program archives.
• Handle logistical issues for program events and activities.
• Write analytical pieces for publication on the New Atlanticist blog.
• Help draft policy briefs and task force reports.

Qualifications:

• Must be at least a college junior in good standing, a graduate student or a recent graduate.
• Must demonstrate proven interest in Asian and other international affairs.
• Must work well with others and interact professionally with senior figures.
• Must have at least a 3.0 GPA (on a 4.0 scale), or equivalent from a non-U.S. institution.
• Must be eligible to work in the United States on a full-time basis.
• Proficiency in Mandarin Chinese or Korean preferred.

To be considered for this position, please email a resume, cover letter, and writing sample to:internship@acus.org. In the subject line, please indicate which program you are applying to.

 

Deadline is May 21st, 2012  for Summer Internships. 

“Think Global, Act Local”

2012 US-China International Youth Festival (2nd IYF)

July 1-29, Xian & Beijing, China

3-Day Youth Summit…to tackle global issues with elite peers and high-profile experts
3-Week Service Learning…to gain hands-on experience in influencing Chinese young minds
2-Day Xian Tour and 1-Day Beijing Tour…to immerse in an ancient and modern Chinese culture and scenery

Full-package Grant up to $2,000

To get an Early-Bird Registration Rate (Before April 30)

APPLY NOW! at eactus.com

The grants will be allocated on a first-come-first-serve basis.


Additional background information about the IYF:

The first US-China International Youth Festival (IYF) was held between July 12, 2011 and August 6, 2011 in China. IYF was initiated and hosted by Education Association for China Tomorrow (EACT), one US 501 (C) (3) non-profit organization. Through the Global Development Youth Summit, volunteer teaching, and cultural immersion programs, IYF provided an excellent platform for youths from all over the world to exchange ideas and perspectives on mutual understanding, self-improvement, youth entrepreneurship and career development, climate and environmental sustainability issues, and the realization of the Eight Millennium Development Goals of the United Nations.

The first IYF was officially included in "UN’s International Year of Youth" (From August 12, 2010 to August 11, 2011) which gained plenty supports from related governmental agencies as well as a good number of organizations and individuals from US, China and many other countries. Participating parties include US Embassy in Beijing, World Bank, World Health Organization, UN-Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UN-Volunteer, Dream Corps International, Civic Concepts International, and several renowned universities and institutions. Other supporting organizations are US Department of State-“100,000 Strong Initiative”, American Congressmen, the State governments of Washington D.C., Maryland and Virginia, Chinese Embassy in the United States- Department of Education, International Monetary Fund, top-ranked universities like Harvard, Yale and Cornell, and many overseas Chinese groups.

For more information:

Visit IYF web page: eactus.com/2012-us-china-international-youth-festival/
Follow “EACT” on Facebook

Or, contact:

Amanda Ding
Program Manager
Education Association for China Tomorrow
10411 Motor City Drive, Bethesda, MD 20817
Phone: (240) 395-1376, Fax: (240) 395-2347
Email:amanda.ding@eactus.com

POSITION: SUMMER PROGRAM DORMITORY SUPERVISOR

Keio Academy of New York is now hiring Dormitory Supervisors to workin our Summer Program, US-JAPAN SUMMER CULTURAL EXPERIENCE 2012. The positions are for the girls' dormitories. Board and food will beprovided.Term of employment will be between July 20th, 2012 and Sunday, August 5th, 2012. This includes a training period, preparation, andpost-program wrap-up.

For more information, please contact us at: Keio Summer Program Administrative Office 3 College RoadPurchase, NY 10577www.keio.eduTel: 914-701-3454

Application: Send a cover letter written in English and a resume (MUST includecontact information of at least one reference) to Keio Academy SummerProgram Office at keiosummer@keio.edu by Monday, April 30, 2012. You must write “Summer Program Dorm Supervisor” in the subject line of thee-mail. All documents must be in PDF file format.

Visit our website ( http://www.keio.edu/english/summerprograms ) to learn more about the program. For questions, send e-mail to KeioAcademy Summer Program Administrative Office at keiosummer@keio.edu Any application without “Summer Program Dorm Supervisor” written on the subject line, missing a cover letter or reference information, or not in the proper format will not be considered.

Substantial scholarships are still available for this summer’s Intensive Chinese course at Portland State University (Oregon).

Dates: June 25 – August 10, 2012.
Credits: 4 Credits

Scholarships:
Substantial tuition aid is available through the ALLEX Foundation. Support from ALLEX will bring tuition for out-of-state students to $749, equal to Oregon residents. In addition, with resident and non-residents can expect substantial additional financial support worth several hundred dollars. Please contact Eriko Akamatsu at allexoffice@allex.org for more information.

Estimated Tuition before Scholarships:
Oregon Residents: $749 (Scholarships available.)
Non-Residents: $2,066 (Scholarships available.)

Details: http://www.allex.org/programs/summerchinese/

Program Overview:
This program is designed to train students to speak and listen to Mandarin Chinese, and to introduce students to reading and writing the language. At the end of the course students will be expected to perform in all four skills—speaking, listening, reading and writing—at a basic level of proficiency. Students will not only learn to speak the language; they will also develop an understanding of Chinese interpersonal behavior. The ultimate goal is to teach students not just to speak Chinese, but to function successfully in Chinese culture using Mandarin—to present yourself as an intelligent person in Chinese culture using the Chinese language. Students will learn to speak and perform correctly in a variety of social situations. In each setting students will learn how to perform in the Chinese language in a culturally appropriate way

Faculty:
Haohsiang Liao, (Director) Ohio State University
Cornelius Kubler, Williams College
Yongfang Zhang, Wufford College
Wan-Chen Chen, Ohio State University

Details: http://www.allex.org/programs/summerchinese/

The Harvard Project for Asian and International Relations (HPAIR) is a partnership between the students and faculty of Harvard University, offering a sustained academic program and a forum of exchange to facilitate discussion of the most important economic, political, and social issues relevant to the Asia-Pacific region. HPAIR's international conference has emerged as the largest annual Harvard event in Asia and the largest annual student conference in the Asia-Pacific region, attracting a wide variety of distinguished speakers and future leaders as Harvard's student outpost in Asia. Past speakers at our conferences include South Korean President Kim Young Sam, Governor General of Australia Peter Hollingworth, Singapore President S.R. Nathan and Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.

The conference this year, co-hosted by National Chengchi University, will be held on August 24-28th, 2012 in Taipei, Taiwan. The theme will be "Challenges and Prospects: Envisioning Global Transformations". Our panels will focus on the following seven topics:

• Defining Private: Public Partnerships in Energy and Environment
• Entrepreneurship in Asia: Rising Tigers at the Edge of Innovation?
• The Intersection of Business, Finance, and Government in Asian Economies
• Frontiers in Health and Human Rights
• Asian Attitudes Towards Democracy in International Law
• Shifting Poles: Transition and Security
• Asian Ascendancy: Media in the Age of Globalization

The HPAIR Conference extends invitation to all students in college level and beyond. Please go to http://www.hpair.org/ to apply.

Should there be any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Jenny Hsu by phone +886-989-374-709, or by email aconf-help@hpair.org

If you will be interning or working abroad this summer, The Graduate Student Career Development Team is pleased to offer a number of competitive international internship grants for up to $2000. The grants are for currently enrolled Elliott School graduate students who are planning to enroll the following semester and are participating in international non-paid or low-pay internships.

The deadline for the International Internship Grant is at 5:00pm on March 30, 2012 for Summer 2012 internships.

For more information, log into ESCC, select the "Resources" Tab, and search under the keywords "International Internship Grant."

If you have any questions, contact Toni Purvis, GSCD Career Coordinator, via email at tpurvis@gwu.edu or via phone at 202-994-1868 .

Substantial scholarships are available for this summer’s Intensive Chinese course at Portland State University (Oregon).

Dates: June 25 – August 10, 2012.
Credits: 4 Credits

Program Overview:
This program is designed to train students to speak and listen to Mandarin Chinese, and to introduce students to reading and writing the language. At the end of the course students will be expected to perform in all four skills—speaking, listening, reading and writing—at a basic level of proficiency. Students will not only learn to speak the language; they will also develop an understanding of Chinese interpersonal behavior. The ultimate goal is to teach students not just to speak Chinese, but to function successfully in Chinese culture using Mandarin—to present yourself as an intelligent person in Chinese culture using the Chinese language. Students will learn to speak and perform correctly in a variety of social situations. In each setting students will learn how to perform in the Chinese language in a culturally appropriate way.

Scholarships:
Substantial tuition aid is available through the ALLEX Foundation. Support from ALLEX will bring tuition for out-of-state students to $749, equal to Oregon residents. In addition, with resident and non-residents can expect substantial additional financial support worth several hundred dollars.

Estimated Tuition before Scholarships:
Oregon Residents: $749 (Scholarships available.)
Non-Residents: $2,066 (Scholarships available.)


For more details and to apply, please click here
You may also contact Eriko Akamatsu at allexoffice@allex.org for more information.

Are you interested studying in Singapore?

The Rajaratnam School of International Students at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore might be of interest to you.

The Elliott School is pleased to offer a new exchange program. This new exchange is ideal for students in security studies, Asian studies, and political economy. RSIS and NTU are among the most prestigious academic institutions in Asia. Applications are due March 15, 2012 for the fall semester abroad (Trimester 1 at RSIS, July to October). For information on this exciting new opportunity, please visit this link.

China-STEM (Chinese for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Medicine) opens this summer at Hopkins Nanjing Center with two tracks: engineering and health science. The summer program is designed for undergraduate and graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, and researchers who seek to enhance their Chinese language proficiency for scientific, technological, engineering, and medical (STEM) disciplines. Over the course of eight weeks, students are immersed in rigorous language training, coupled with experiential research trips to laboratories, hospitals, and academic institutions in Nanjing and Beijing. Students with 3 years of college level Chinese or equivalent who are interested in developing specialized language skills for careers in medicine, public health, nursing, or engineering should check out and apply through their site.

Machik's Summer Enrichment Program (SEP) is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to engage in Tibetan youth empowerment while working together with Tibetan, Chinese, and global volunteers. During the four weeks at SEP, volunteers will have the option to teach an elective class of their own design, or to draw on curriculum from past years for courses such as English, Health, of Social Entrepreneurship. Other past classes have included Tibetan language and history, participatory filmmaking, photo camp, music, incense making, economics, science, health and other activities. Please keep in mind that this is a program for those who want a challenge. You will be asked not only to explore a new place but also to learn at new levels by pushing yourself beyond your normal boundaries. Volunteers from all backgrounds are welcome to serve, learn, and build new bridges of understanding! SEP will take place from July 18-August 18, 2012 in Shangri-la, Yunnan province, PRC. The application deadline is March 2, but late applications may be accepted under special circumstances. Cost for US applicants is $2,000 USD (includes room and board, but not flights). For more information, please contact us at SEP@machik.org.

If you are an undergraduate planning to study abroad this summer, please consider applying to this scholarship! Deadline is March 1st, 2012.

Online Application

The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program offers grants for U.S. citizen undergraduate students of limited financial means to pursue academic studies abroad. Such international study is intended to better prepare U.S. students to assume significant roles in an increasingly global economy and interdependent world.

International experience is critically important in the educational and career development of American students, but it can also require a substantial financial investment. The Gilman Scholarship Program broadens the student population that studies abroad by supporting undergraduates who might not otherwise participate due to financial constraints. The program aims to encourage students to choose non-traditional study abroad destinations, especially those outside of Western Europe, Australia and New Zealand. The Gilman Scholarship Program aims to support students who have been traditionally under-represented in study abroad, including but not limited to, students with high financial need, community college students, students in under-represented fields such as the sciences and engineering, students with diverse ethnic backgrounds, and students with disabilities. The program seeks to assist students from a diverse range of public and private institutions from all 50 states, Washington, DC and Puerto Rico.

Award recipients are chosen by a competitive selection process and must use the award to defray eligible study abroad costs. These costs include program tuition, room and board, books, local transportation, insurance and international airfare.

This congressionally funded program is sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State and is administered by the Institute of International Education through its Southern Regional Center in Houston, TX.

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Award Benefits

Over 2,300 scholarships of up to $5,000 will be awarded this academic year for U.S. citizen undergraduates to study abroad. Award amounts will vary depending on the length of study and student need with the average award being approximately $4,000.

Students who apply for and receive the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship to study abroad are then eligible to receive an additional $3,000 Critical Need Language Supplement from the Gilman Scholarship Program for a total possible award of up to $8,000. During the 2011-2012 academic year, 50 Critical Need Language Supplements were offered to Gilman Scholarship recipients.

Critical Need Languages include:

Arabic (all dialects); Chinese (all dialects); Bahasa Indonesia Japanese Turkic (Azerbaijani, Kazakh, Kyrgz, Turkish, Turkmen, Uzbek); Persian (Farsi, Dari, Kurdish, Pashto, Tajiki); Indic (Hindi, Urdu, Nepali, Sinhala, Bengali, Punjabi, Marathi, Gujarati, Sindhi); Korean Russian Swahili

The TUSA Ambassador Summer Scholarship Program is being offered again this year to U.S. college and university students who are interested in studying the Mandarin Chinese language during the months of July and August. The scholarship covers tuition, dormitory fees, four excursions and incidental insurance. Meals are not included and students must provide their own airfare to and from Taiwan.

It provides a quality Mandarin Chinese immersion program with emphasis on speaking... but also on listening, reading and writing.

In addition to studying at a first-rate university, students learn about Taiwanese culture and will visit several interesting sites to become more familiar with Taiwan and her people. The program has been created with special focus on students without Chinese/Taiwanese heritage, so prior knowledge or experience with the Mandarin language is not needed. Each U.S. student is paired with a Taiwanese study partner to assist in the language and cultural study program.

The application period is 1 January 2012 to 31 March 2012. Completed applications received prior to 15 February 2012 will be reviewed for early acceptance and reported to the applicant within 10 days of that date. All remaining applications, including those not awarded early admission, will be reviewed and reported by 10 April 2012. Please apply online
at:

www.taiwanusalliance.com.

Applications and recommendations for the Sigur Center's Summer 2012 Grants are now available on our website. This summer's grants include the following selections:

Sigur Center Grant for Chinese Language Study in Taiwan

Sigur Center Grant for Korean Language Study in Korea

Sigur Center Grant for Asian Language Study in Asia

Sigur Center Summer Grant for Asian Field Research

To see what last year's summer fellows did while they were abroad, check out some of their blog posts.

Applications are due on Friday, February 17 at 5:00PM. Please be sure to submit your application and ALL supporting documents by that time. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Josie Keller at jhkeller@gwu.edu or 202-994-5874.

Summer Field Program: Heritage, Tourism, and Development on China’s Ethnic Frontiers

June 10^th – July 1^st, 2012

This program takes GW students into the field to experience firsthand the development challenges faced by state authorities, community leaders, and regular citizens in the interior regions of the People’s Republic of China. As part of a national campaign to ‘Go West’, Chinese authorities have promoted tourism and heritage projects as development tools in marginalized minority areas. The purpose of this program is to learn about these projects and their impact on citizens by traveling overland through the Tibetan cultural frontier area of historic Amdo and Kham.

After arriving in China we will spend five days in Beijing, where we will visit cultural sites in and around the city such as the Temple of Heaven, the Forbidden City, and the Dongtian Daoist Temple complex. During this time we will also visit the National Minorities University for a discussion of state ethnic policies, and Beijing International Studies University, for a discussion on tourism policies and objectives. After traveling by train to Lanzhou, capital of Gansu Province in Northwest China, we will travel overland through the Amdo and Kham regions of historic Tibet. Our first stop will be the Tibetan pilgrimage town of Xiahe, site of Labrang Monastery, a key intellectual center for the Gelukpa Sect of Tibetan Buddhism. We will then continue by road to the monastery town of Taksen Lhamo (Chinese Langmusi), located along the Gansu-Sichuan border on the edge of the Tibetan plateau, and then to Jiuzhaigou National Park, in Northern Sichuan province. From Jiuzhaigou we will fly to Xian, the former capital of the Tang Dynasty and site of the Terra-Cotta warrior museum. Our trip will conclude with a return journey to Beijing by train.

Over the course of this three-week field study students will interact with Chinese tourism and heritage scholars, local Tibetan and Han Chinese business owners, Tibetan pilgrims and nomads, and Chinese students. In keeping with the focus of the program, our overland trip will be arranged and hosted by Nomad Travel, a Tibetan-run agency located in Xiahe, Gansu province.

The total fee for this program is $5,432.This includes GWU tuition ($3,679) for three credits), train (soft sleeper class) and air travel within China, all accommodations, site visits, admission fees, travel insurance and most meals. Parts of this journey will be at elevations of 3,000 to 3,500 meters (10,000-12,000 feet), so good health is a must.

The program will be led by Robert Shepherd, Assistant Professor of Anthropology and international Affairs.

For more information, feel free to email him at rshepher@gwu.edu or stop by his office in the Sigur Center for Asian Studies, Suite 503, 1957 E Street.