FC Imabari is a soccer team in Imabari City, Ehime Prefecture. “FC” stands for “football club.” Takeshi Okada—a former soccer player and the former head coach of the Japan National Team who led the Japan men’s national soccer team to its first-ever World Cup appearance in 1998—is the owner of FC Imabari and Masafumi Yano is the Chief Operating Officer. During my first visit to Imabari City in March 2024, I was invited to watch an FC Imabari game and met with Okada, Yano, and others affiliated with FC Imabari. During the game and while strolling around Imabari City, I could sense the excitement that the team has brought to the city. FC Imabari High School, a private school in Imabari, was conceptualized by Okada and enrolled its inaugural classes this year. In a May 13, 2023 article, “Ehime: Ex Japan Soccer Coach Okada Tackles New Challenge in Field of Education,” in The Yomiuri Shimbun, he stated, “I want to foster autonomy and independence that survive an era that humanity has never experienced.” (Photo of Takeshi Okada below; courtesy FC Imabari.)

With Okada’s educational priorities in mind, FC Imabari Advisor Yukari Hara took the initiative to discuss the possible development of Stanford e-FC Imabari to support the mission of FC Imabari High School. Stanford e-FC Imabari was launched in fall 2024 to help encourage students at FC Imabari High School and from three public schools in Imabari City to not only consider the importance of autonomy and independence but also their roles in the local community and the world at large. Stanford e-FC Imabari focuses on the three key themes of (1) diversity, equity, & inclusion (DEI); (2) entrepreneurship; and (3) community building. During conversations with FC Imabari High School teachers Nozomi Echigo (social studies) and Yoshikazu Nakashima (English), I came to highly value the importance that the FC Imabari teachers place upon engaging students through their multiple intelligences, including kinesthetic, artistic, musical, interpersonal, and intrapersonal intelligences as well as linguistic and quantitative intelligences. I have had the privilege of visiting many schools in Japan, and FC Imabari High School is the only high school that I have visited that was inspired by how lessons—like teamwork, collegiality, and cooperation—in team sports such as soccer are critical to the education of youth.

Stanford e-FC Imabari is taught by SPICE instructor Alison Keiko Harsch, who used to be an Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) on the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program in Kagawa Prefecture, a neighboring prefecture to Ehime Prefecture on Shikoku, one of the four main islands of Japan. Harsch will be returning to Shikoku later this year to make her first visit to FC Imabari High School. She reflected,

My years as an ALT on Shikoku significantly shifted the course of my life. It was in Shikoku that I fell in love with teaching, and in particular became passionate about engaging students in rural areas of Japan. The opportunity to work with students through Stanford e-FC Imabari has been hugely rewarding as it brings my work full circle back to my second home, Shikoku. It is an honor to contribute to the mission of FC Imabari High School.

During a recent visit to Imabari City on October 7 and 8, 2024, I had the opportunity to meet Stanford e-FC Imabari students not only at FC Imabari High School (Principal Shota Tsuji) but also at the three public high schools that have students who are participating in Stanford e-FC Imabari. These public high schools include Imabari West High School (Principal Teruo Koike), Imabari West High School, Hakata Branch (Branch Principal Hiroki Yano), and Imabari East High School (Principal Hiroyasu Watanabe). SPICE and FC Imabari High School are grateful to Ehime Prefecture’s Board of Education for its support of the engagement of these three public schools. Through my four meetings with students, I could see the bonds that have already developed between the four schools.

Principal Tsuji noted that “Through Stanford e-FC Imabari, we hope to not only provide unique learning opportunities for FC Imabari High School but also to build synergy between our school and local public schools. As the FC Imabari soccer team has strengthened our sense of community in Imabari, I would like to see greater community building between FC Imabari High School and local public schools.” Also, Hinako Tamai, English teacher at Imabari West High School, Hakata Branch, commented, “Being on a remote island, Hakata Island, in the Inland Sea, I feel fortunate that our students have this opportunity to work with Stanford University. Hakata Island now not only has physical bridges with Shikoku but also intellectual bridges with Stanford University and other schools in Imabari City.”

SPICE looks forward to continuing its work with Stanford e-FC Imabari to help cultivate students’ autonomy and independence—Mr. Okada’s goal—and underscore the importance of their roles in the local community and the world at large.

Importantly, SPICE would like thank Yoshihisa Ozasa, the founder and Chairman of Link & Motivation, Inc., for generously providing the necessary funding to make Stanford e-FC Imabari possible. 

Stanford e-FC Imabari is one of SPICE’s local student programs in Japan.

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In 2015, SPICE launched Stanford e-Japan, a national online course that enrolls high school students from Japan to engage in an intensive study of U.S. society and culture and U.S.–Japan relations. In 2016, SPICE launched Stanford e-Tottori, SPICE’s first regional program in Japan that enrolls high school students from across Tottori Prefecture. As of this fall, SPICE now enrolls approximately 230 students from nine regional programs in Japan. Six programs are prefectural programs (Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Oita, Tottori, Wakayama, Yamaguchi), and three are municipal programs (Kagoshima, Kawasaki, and Kobe). SPICE’s newest course, Stanford e-Yamaguchi, was just launched last month.

In August 2024 SPICE held four award ceremonies for honorees of the 2023–2024 regional programs in Japan. Two honorees from each program were recognized.

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The first ceremony was held virtually on August 6, 2024 for Stanford e-Hiroshima’s top students. Inspirational opening comments were delivered by Consul Mayu Hagiwara, Director of the Japan Information and Culture Center, Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco. Hagiwara’s comments were followed by remarks by course instructor Mia Kimura and the honorees’ presentations. (Student honorees with their instructor Mia Kimura and Consul Hagiwara and Board of Education representatives). The honorees are:

Stanford e-Hiroshima (Instructor Mia Kimura)

Student Honoree: Aika Ono
School: Kindai University Fukuyama High School
Project Title: Navigating the Barrier: Immigrant Children in Japan

Student Honoree: Wakana Tsukuda
School: Fukuyama Akenohoshi High School
Project Title: How to Move Upstream: What Japan Can Learn from the U.S. About Mental Health

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In the second ceremony, four top students from Fukuoka and Oita were honored on August 12, 2024 at Stanford University. Following opening comments, instructor Kasumi Yamashita introduced her honorees. (Student honorees from Fukuoka and Oita with their instructor Kasumi Yamashita and Board of Education representatives). The honorees are:

Stanford e-Fukuoka (Instructor Kasumi Yamashita)

Student Honoree: Niko Ito
School: Hakata Seisho High School
Project Title: Sustainable Fashion: Thrifty Ideas from 1000 Years Ago

Student Honoree: Nanako Shimura
School: Yame High School
Project Title: Sharing War Stories: What My Grandmother Taught Me About Peace

Stanford e-Oita (Instructor Kasumi Yamashita)

Student Honoree: Chiko Kawashima
School: Oita Hofu High School
Project Title: Language Access During Natural Disasters: How Can We Help Foreigners?

Student Honoree: Rintaro Tokumoto
School: Takada High School
Project Title: Let’s Change How We See Our Food, One Vegetable at a Time!

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During the third ceremony, six top students from Kawasaki, Kobe, and Wakayama were honored on August 21, 2024 at Stanford University. The ceremony began with insightful opening comments by Yuriko Sugahara, Advisor for Cultural and Educational Affairs at the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco. Sugahara’s opening comments were followed by remarks by the instructors of the courses and student presentations. (Student honorees with their instructors Dr. Makiko Hirata, Maiko Tamagawa Bacha, and Alison Harsch, and Board of Education representatives). The honorees are:

Stanford e-Kawasaki (Instructor Maiko Tamagawa Bacha)

Student Honoree: Rio Enomoto
School: Tachibana High School
Project Title: Is K-Pop Necessary in America?

Student Honoree: Kaede Suyama
School: Kawasaki High School
Project Title: What Do You Think About the Homeless Program?

Stanford e-Kobe (Instructor Alison Harsch)

Student Honoree: Moeka Urata
School: Kobe Municipal Fukiai High School
Project Title: Problems of the School Counselor System in Japan

Student Honoree: Mayuko Hara
School: Kobe Municipal Fukiai High School
Project Title: Problems that Voters with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities Face in Japan and the U.S.

Stanford e-Wakayama (Instructor Makiko Hirata)

Student Honoree: Sumire Inaba
School: Touin High School
Project Title: Solutions to Global Hunger

Student Honoree: Niina Ohashi
School: Touin High School
Project Title: Self-Management Skills

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During the fourth ceremony, four top students from Kagoshima City and Tottori were honored on the Stanford campus on August 23, 2024. The ceremony began with stimulating opening comments by Yuriko Sugahara, Advisor for Cultural and Educational Affairs at the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco. Sugahara’s comments were followed by remarks by the instructors of the courses and student presentations. (Student honorees with their instructors Jonas Edman and Amy Cheng and Board of Education representatives). The honorees are:

Stanford e-Kagoshima City (Instructor Amy Cheng)

Student Honoree: Keima Kawagoe
School: Kagoshima Gyokuryu High School
Project Title: Revitalizing Kagoshima with the Power of Bamboo

Student Honoree: Kenshiro Matsunaga
School: Kagoshima Gyokuryu High School
Project Title: “Omotenashi” Has a Dark Side

Stanford e-Tottori (Instructor Jonas Edman)

Student Honoree: Funa Bannai
School: Yonago Higashi High School
Project Title: Same-Sex Marriage: Reducing Inequality Within and Among Countries

Student Honoree: Soichiro Takagi
School: Tottori Nishi High School
Project Title: Thinking About the Importance of Reading in Education

Following each of the three in-person ceremonies, the students enjoyed a luncheon, a campus tour, and a dinner. Many students commented that one of the highlights of their visit to Stanford was having the chance to meet high school students from other regions of Japan. Many guests commented on how impressed they were with the student presentations and the poise that the students exhibited in particular during the question-and-answer periods.

Importantly, SPICE is grateful to the Board of Education representatives who accompanied the students to Stanford. They are Hiroshi Suzuki (Fukuoka Prefecture); Takayuki Nishinakamura and Chiemi Hamada (Kagoshima City); Kei Sakamoto and Miho Anraku (Kobe City); Hironori Sano and Toshiyuki Yamamoto (Oita Prefecture); Tomoya Minohara (Tottori Prefecture); and Rika Katsumoto (Wakayama Prefecture). Also, SPICE wishes to thank Sabrina Ishimatsu, SPICE Event Coordinator, for planning all four ceremonies.

SPICE also offers online courses to U.S. high school students on Japan (Reischauer Scholars Program), China (China Scholars Program), and Korea (Sejong Korea Scholars Program), and online courses to Chinese high school students on the United States (Stanford e-China) and to Japanese high school students on the United States and U.S.–Japan relations (Stanford e-Japan) and on entrepreneurship (Stanford e-Entrepreneurship Japan).

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We teach Americans about China. Or Japanese about the United States. Or Chinese about Silicon Valley. Our student cohorts are often very diverse, but usually share a similar national perspective. What if we mixed that up? What if we put students from different countries in the same program and asked them to learn together—and from each other? What if we then put them to work on a common problem, sharing common goals?

[Image above: Part of one group’s final project, “Buzzing Biodiversity: The Vital Role of Pollinators in Enhancing Ecosystems,” aimed at local Beijing, Suzhou, and Irvine, CA, communities. Poster designed by Jimmy Qiyuan Zhang (Suzhou). Other group members: Annie Meitong Song (Irvine) and Xinyi Nancy Zhao (Beijing).]

This past spring, Carey Moncaster and I decided to try it. We created a joint program, the U.S.–China Co-Lab on Climate Solutions, combining the Stanford e-China Program for high school students in China, which Moncaster runs, with my China Scholars Program for high school students in the United States. Sixteen students in each country spent 14 weeks online together, exploring collaborative solutions to the climate crisis.

The U.S.–China Co-Lab (as in both “collaboration” and a hands-on “lab” done together) has two goals:

• To learn about current and potential solutions to climate change and its impacts, through a transnational lens; and
• To learn about and practice the cross-cultural collaboration skills necessary to achieve those solutions.

Climate issues were an obvious choice for the theme of the course. Not only is it the most urgent issue facing all of humanity, it is also one that avoids some of the stickier political issues between the United States and China. Chinese and American students could easily find common ground and common inspiration.

We chose to emphasize climate solutions—as opposed to problems—as a counter to discouraging narratives of crisis that surround this young generation, to instead emphasize the tools we have to correct course and heal.

“Solutions” also provided the structure for the course. Each module of the course was centered on a different area of climate solutions: Global Governance and Climate Diplomacy; Biodiversity; Green Finance; Clean Energy; Food and Agriculture. We were honored to draw on the expertise of Stanford faculty, as well as leaders from institutions like the Wilson Center and the Paulson Institute.*

In addition, we spent one week reading about cross-cultural skills. Stanford’s Scott Rozelle spoke with the students about his decades of practical experience running the Rural Education Action Program (REAP), a highly collaborative research and policy project involving transnational researchers, Chinese villagers and educators, and government officials. One student emphasized that it was Rozelle’s example in particular that “allowed me to see the ways professionals have worked together and made important findings.”

U.S.–China Co-Lab students had to work together for every assignment. The most straightforward were the in-class discussions on Zoom and the weekly, written discussion boards—which nonetheless required teaching and interpretation, with each student explaining a reading that other students had not done.

We used a design thinking approach for another assignment, the “Collaborative Prototype Challenge” developed by our SPICE colleague Mariko Yang-Yoshihara, in which each student was paired with a classmate from the other country. Through interviews, the students identified a key environmental need in their partner’s local community and brainstormed a creative prototype solution, using only materials at hand to represent it. Feedback and revision amplified this exercise in cross-cultural empathy, and the results were thoughtful, technical, artistic, and even goofy—ranging from Chinese paper lanterns made from repurposed packaging waste to a wearable air-conditioning suit to electricity generated by hamster wheels.

For our final project, the “Bilateral Media Campaign,” we stepped up the teamwork and the cross-cultural empathy. In groups of four (2 U.S., 2 China members), students created a media campaign targeting a specific climate solution, tailoring two versions for parallel audiences: one in China and one in the United States. Together, each group needed to agree on a message to inspire specific public action and two specific audiences for that message—which involved both academic and local, community-based research. With the resulting data, they had to choose medium, means, and strategy, and finally, create the materials themselves.

One group tackled invasive species and challenged teens in Arizona and Beijing to weed them out of their local ecosystems, with informative slides on buffelgrass and ragweed, respectively. A second group imagined schoolwide carbon footprint competitions between group members’ high schools in California and Shanghai. Another group sought to encourage families to adopt solar energy—for their own homes in North Carolina, or by using solar-charging personal devices in Beijing, where single-family homes are rare.

Students found the logistical coordination necessary to complete this multi-step project quite challenging and sometimes frustrating. But we considered that a realistic aspect of all collaborative problem-solving—all the more so when dealing with national boundaries, the international date line, and internet firewalls!

Feedback from the class suggests that the project was worthwhile. “I learned about the nuances and similarities between both audiences, which helped me appreciate the common ground we shared despite our diverse backgrounds,” commented one student. “The synergy that emerged from our collaboration was remarkable.”

Overall, Moncaster and I took extra care to represent a wide range of perspectives in the speakers and readings and other course materials, representing diversity in profession, academic discipline, strategy, personal background, etc. Several students commented on how their future plans had changed as a result: students who joined the program interested in policy now wanted to study climate tech as well; STEM-oriented students now understood the need for culturally informed messaging; a humanities student now felt confident in exploring environmental sciences as well.

Most importantly, friends were made, and almost all of the students plan to stay in touch with one another. Anfeng Wilson Xie, of Shanghai, China, was thankful for the opportunity to meet so many “passionate youths in the environmental field, as I have truly learned a lot from my peers.”

Feedback from the students on our first iteration of the U.S.–China Co-Lab has been overwhelmingly positive. “Its transformative journey surpassed my prior expectations,” Raiden Smith, of Tucson, Arizona, told us. He added that it “strengthened my interest in climate studies and broadened my perspective on the importance of cross-cultural communication as I’ve become more hopeful for our collaborative future.”

For our part, Moncaster and I were heartened and inspired by the intelligent, open-minded, and imaginative young people we got to know in the program and look forward to watching them forge their own future. Who knows what new solutions for our planet they may dream up together?

*We would like to offer our thanks and appreciation to all of our guest speakers for the Spring 2024 U.S.–China Co-Lab on Climate Solutions:

Thomas Fingar, Senior Scholar, Shorenstein APARC Fellow, Affiliated Scholar at the Stanford Center on China’s Economy and Institutions, Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies (FSI), Stanford University

Darrin Magee, Director, Institute for Energy Studies, Western Washington University

Rose Niu, Chief Conservation Officer, Paulson Institute

Scott Rozelle, Faculty Co-director of the Stanford Center on China’s Economy and Institutions, Helen F. Farnsworth Endowed Professorship, Senior Fellow at FSI, Senior Fellow at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research

Mark Thurber, Associate Director for Research, Program on Energy and Sustainable Development, FSI, Stanford University

Jennifer L. Turner, Director, China Environment Forum, Wilson Center

For more information about the U.S.–China Co-Lab on Climate Solutions, please visit https://spice.fsi.stanford.edu/fellowship/uschinacolab. The application for the spring 2025 session is open now.

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Stanford University seeks candidates for three faculty positions in Asian Studies. All three appointments will be at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies (FSI) and affiliated with the Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center (APARC). The deadline for submissions is November 30, 2024. Read on for more information about each position. Candidates should submit their applications via the Stanford Faculty Positions website.

Faculty Appointment in Japanese Politics and Foreign Policy

Stanford University seeks candidates for a new faculty position in the politics and foreign policy of Japan. The successful candidate will have expertise in politics, policy studies, diplomacy, security studies, international relations, or global affairs relating to Japan and the Indo-Pacific region, and will be expected to advance research and education on Japanese politics and foreign policy, in the Japan Program of APARC. This is an open-rank search.

The new faculty member will be appointed as a Senior Fellow or Center Fellow in FSI, affiliated with APARC. Senior Fellows at Stanford University are full members of the Professoriate and Academic Council, with a rank equivalent to tenured associate or full professor. Center Fellows at Stanford University are also members of the Professoriate and the Academic Council, with a rank equivalent to tenure-track assistant professor. Center Fellows are appointed for a fixed term of years with the possibility of promotion to Senior Fellow.

For more information and to apply, view the job posting on the Stanford Faculty Positions website > 

Faculty Appointment in Korean Studies

Stanford University seeks candidates for a faculty position in Korean Studies. The successful candidate will be expected to advance research and education on Korea, in the Korea Program of APARC.

The new faculty member will be appointed as Center Fellow in FSI, affiliated with APARC. Center Fellows at Stanford University are the equivalent rank of tenure-track assistant professor. They are members of the Professoriate and the Academic Council, eligible to serve as principal investigators, and accrue sabbatical. Center Fellows are appointed for a fixed term of years with the possibility of promotion to Senior Fellow.

For more information and to apply, view the job posting on the Stanford Faculty Positions website >

Faculty Appointment in Taiwan Studies

Stanford University seeks candidates for a new faculty position on Taiwan. The successful candidate will have expertise in policy studies, social sciences, international relations, or global affairs relating to Taiwan, and will be expected to advance research and education on Taiwan studies, in the newly established Taiwan Program of APARC. This is an open-rank search.

The new faculty member will be appointed as a Senior Fellow or Center Fellow in FSI, affiliated with APARC. Senior Fellows at Stanford University are full members of the Professoriate and Academic Council, with a rank equivalent to tenured associate or full professor. Center Fellows at Stanford University are also members of the Professoriate and the Academic Council, with a rank equivalent to tenure-track assistant professor. Center Fellows are appointed for a fixed term of years with the possibility of promotion to Senior Fellow.

For more information and to apply, view the job posting on the Stanford Faculty Positions website >

Stanford e-Japan enrolls exceptional high school students from Japan to engage in an intensive study of U.S. society and culture. The Reischauer Scholars Program (RSP) enrolls exceptional high school students from the United States to engage in an intensive study of Japanese society and culture. Both courses underscore the importance of U.S.–Japan relations. The Yanai Tadashi Foundation is the current supporter of Stanford e-Japan, and the Japan Fund at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies (FSI) is the current supporter of the RSP.

On August 5, 2024, an award ceremony was held at Stanford University to honor SPICE’s Spring and Fall 2023 Stanford e-Japan student honorees and the 2024 RSP student honorees. The honorees performed at the highest levels of their courses as determined by Stanford e-Japan Instructors Waka Takahashi Brown (spring course) and Meiko Kotani (fall course), RSP Instructor Naomi Funahashi, and the research paper review committees. The honorees are:

Spring 2023 Stanford e-Japan 
Asumi Kato, Matsumoto Fukashi High School; home prefecture: Nagano
Luna Kihara, Osaka Jogakuin High School; home prefecture: Osaka
Satoshi Yamamura, Tokyo Metropolitan Fuji High School; home prefecture: Tokyo

Honorable Mentions:
Takuma Kawaguchi, Tokyo Gakugei University International Secondary School; home prefecture: Tokyo
Kanako Miyazaki, Saikyo Municipal High School; home prefecture: Kyoto

Fall 2023 Stanford e-Japan 
Hisataka Kadota, Okayama Prefectural Okayama Asahi Senior High School; home prefecture: Okayama
Shoma Nishida, Canadian Academy Kobe; home prefecture: Hyogo
Rei Ozawa, Keio Girls Senior High School; home prefecture: Tokyo

Honorable Mentions:
Mayu Anzai, Seiun High School; home prefecture: Hyogo
Rihito Kotani, Tokyo Gakugei University International Secondary School; home prefecture: Tokyo

2024 Reischauer Scholars Program
Sophie Ankeles, Polytechnic School; California
Annamika Konkola, West Linn High School; Oregon
Vivian Luo, Mt. Lebanon High School; Pennsylvania

Honorable Mentions:
Maya Swaminathan, Lynbrook High School; California
Catherine Fisher, The Nueva School; California

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The program began with welcoming comments from the Honorable Yo Osumi, Consul General of Japan in San Francisco. He commented that the Reischauer Scholars Program and Stanford e-Japan are very important for our two nations and noted that the education of youth has been one of his highest priorities since he assumed his post at the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco. He extended high praise to the honorees.

Also in attendance from the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco were Mayu Hagiwara, Director and Consul, Japan Information and Culture Center; Asumi Chikae, Consul for Education, Science, and Technology; and Yuriko Sugahara, Advisor for Cultural and Educational Affairs.

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Following the welcoming and opening comments, Brown, Kotani, and Funahashi gave overviews of their courses. The student honorees made engaging presentations based on their research papers and were very poised while fielding questions from the audience. Each honoree received a plaque from their instructor. (Photo above: student honorees and their instructors taken at Frances C. Arrillaga Alumni Center; Consul General Osumi, seventh from the right.)

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Among the audience members were Stanford student Anna Matsumoto (photo above), a Yanai Tadashi Scholar from Tokushima Prefecture, and Keio Girls High School English Teacher and Global Partnership Coordinator Leon Mueller. Mueller commented,

It was such an honor to see the amazing presentations by this elite group of high school students. The Stanford e-Japan program provided them the opportunity to apply their drive and intellect in a highly academic environment, resulting in a stronger understanding of the U.S.–Japan partnership. It was also encouraging to see the many friendships being forged among the Japanese and American students and the desire to take what they had learned and share it with their peers back in their communities. I think this type of ripple effect is what makes the program so inspiring and unique.

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Also in the audience were SPICE supporters, Adrian and Monica Yeung Arima. SPICE is grateful to them all for their unwavering support of SPICE. (Photo above: Mueller standing next to Kotani.)

The RSP is about to enter its 22nd year and Stanford e-Japan is currently in its 10th year. Many of the alumni are engaged in various fields related to U.S.–Japan relations and continue to give back to both programs by being guest speakers or mentors to the current students.

Following the formal event, the student honorees—most having just met each other in person for the first time—had the chance to enjoy lunch and a Stanford campus tour together. It is the hope of Brown, Kotani, and Funahashi that the Japanese and American student honorees will continue to strengthen their budding friendships and ensure that the U.S.–Japan relationship remains strong.

SPICE is grateful to President Tadashi Yanai for his generous support of Stanford e-Japan and to Chikano Shiroma of the Yanai Tadashi Foundation for her regular correspondence and encouragement. SPICE is also thankful to the Japan Fund committee at FSI for its generous support of the Reischauer Scholars Program. These courses and the ceremony would not be possible without them.

The Reischauer Scholars Program is currently accepting applications until October 18, 2024. Stanford e-Japan’s spring 2025 application period will be from November 15 to December 31, 2024.

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My grandfather used to run a kindergarten in Seoul. During one of our summer visits, my brother and I were invited to teach a portion of the English classes with a stern reminder to restrict our vocabulary to basic words. As we stumbled along the lesson plan, juggling our conversational grasp of the Korean language with our grandfather’s wishes, one of the kids cried out “이건 너무 쉽잖아!” — “This is too easy!” The brutal honesty of our student raised a question I didn’t quite know how to answer yet: How Korean am I?

Attending the Sejong Korea Scholars Program was critical in helping me answer that question. Throughout the program, I found that my motivation to understand my ethnic identity was richly rewarded by the many opportunities to study and discuss the historical development of Korea. Quite unlike my unfortunate student(s) earlier, I found myself thoroughly challenged and pushed to grow by the course alongside my highly qualified peers.

I would like to thank our instructor Dr. HyoJung Jang for making this development possible by emphasizing the multiperspectivity of history. The intensive curriculum of reading chapters from Korea: A History by Eugene Y. Park, analyzing historical documents, and conferring in group forum discussions culminated in voice chats where we discussed our findings with our colleagues and experts in the field. Because every unit was focused on a different aspect of Korean history, I was exposed to topics varying from King Kojong’s struggle against imperialism to South Korea’s  postwar economic “Miracle on the River Han” led by the authoritarian Park Chung-Hee.

Furthermore, the curriculum examined U.S.–Korea relations from a diplomatic, economic, and cultural lens. The historical context helped me not only make sense of current developments such as North Korea’s Juche ideology and South Korea’s Hallyu soft power, but also my own identity at the intersection of Korea and America.

I would also like to extend my gratitude to the many lecturers and guest speakers who shared their knowledge and expertise with us during the program. I particularly enjoyed the visits of Professor Kyeyoung Park, who examined the 1992 Los Angeles riots in the context of tensions between the Korean American and African American communities, and Professor Danny Leipziger, who spoke about his experiences at the World Bank preparing the emergency financial bailout loan to South Korea during the 1997 Asian financial crisis. Having the opportunity to converse with every guest speaker expanded my worldview and opened my eyes to a future in Korean studies.

Inspired by their guidance, I focused my final paper on the unsung role of education in the Korean Independence movement, discussing how conflicting educational philosophies united to resist Japanese colonial rule. During my research, I discovered the fascinating English diary of educator and resistance member Yun Chi-ho written during his travels in the American South, which I later pursued further and won an endowment from my school to study through a year-long research project. Yun’s alienation in a racially polarized America as a Korean man deeply resonates with me, and I would have never found the passion to tell his story if not for the Sejong Korea Scholars Program.

So, how Korean am I now? From this program, I’ve recognized that this is a futile question. All that truly matters is that I am learning about my Korean heritage and growing for it. I highly encourage any interested students to apply for the Sejong Korea Scholars Program, regardless of your roots. Above all else, it will richly reward an open mind and a willingness to truly flower into a global citizen.

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SPICE’s online programs for U.S. high school students have begun accepting applications for the Spring 2025 academic term. The Reischauer Scholars Program (RSP) and the Sejong Korea Scholars Program (SKSP) welcome applications from high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors in the United States. U.S.–China Co-Lab on Climate Solutions brings together 10th–12th graders from the United States and China in the same program to collaborate on solutions to the global climate crisis.

The RSP engages students in an intensive study of Japan and the U.S.–Japan relationship, facilitating discussions with scholars, diplomats, and other guest speakers with personal and professional expertise in Japanese culture, society, and U.S.–Japan relations. The 2025 RSP course dates are February 1 to June 15, 2025. The application deadline is October 18, 2024.

The SKSP provides students an enriching and academically rigorous overview of Korean history and U.S.–Korea relations through online lectures with top scholars and experts and engaging student discussions. The 2025 SKSP course dates are February 3 to June 30, 2025. The application deadline is November 1, 2024.

The U.S.–China Co-Lab program focuses specifically on climate-related issues and U.S.–China cooperation, past and potential, and strategies for global cooperation. High school students from the U.S. and China will get to know each other’s lives and environments and actively work together on projects to develop their expertise on local, bilateral, and global climate action. This is a joint program of SPICE’s Stanford e-China (for students in China) and China Scholars Program (for U.S. students). The Spring 2025 Co-Lab course dates are February 28 to May 30, 2025. The application deadline for U.S. students is November 8, 2024. Applicants from China are accepted on a rolling basis; the first 15 qualified students will be accepted with applications closing around December 1, 2024.

Students who are interested in applying to more than one program may do so and rank their preferences on their applications. Those who are accepted into multiple programs for Spring 2025 will be invited to enroll in their highest-preference course.

Applications for all three programs can be found at https://spicestanford.smapply.io/. Deadlines vary:

• RSP: Oct 18
• SKSP: Nov 1
• U.S.–China Co-Lab: Nov 8 for U.S. students and rolling admissions for students from China

For more information on a specific online course, please refer to its individual webpage at reischauerscholars.org, sejongscholars.org, or https://spice.fsi.stanford.edu/fellowship/uschinacolab.

Note: The China Scholars Program (CSP) for U.S. high school students will next offer “Introduction to Contemporary China” in Fall 2025; applications will open in April.

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To learn more about SPICE’s student programs, visit our Student Programs page.

On July 16, 2024, I had the pleasure of giving a talk to the 2024 LeadNext Fellows from across Asia and the United States. LeadNext is made possible by Amanda Minami, who has provided seed money for the initial three years of the program. LeadNext is led by Nicole Ripley, Senior Program Officer of Leadership and Exchange Programs at The Asia Foundation. Both were present on this day. (Photo of Amanda Minami with LeadNext Fellows below; courtesy LeadNext Fellows Program)

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On The Asia Foundation website, the “LeadNext Fellows: Ambassadors for a Global Future” program is described as follows:

LeadNext builds a vibrant network of future leaders aged 18–25 from across Asia and the United States and supports their growth, impact, and capacity to address today’s greatest challenges.

With the profound structural changes that will transform geopolitics, global governance, the global economic order, and social landscape over the next decade, a new generation of globally minded leaders is imperative. The LeadNext program equips emerging leaders across cultures and disciplines with strong international networks, exposure to wide-ranging experiences, and leadership tools to thoughtfully steer the future.

Harnessing the innovation and energy of young leaders is essential. Positive and lasting change will depend on leaders who can move ideas and action forward to address rising inequality, find solutions to climate crises, mitigate conflict, and empower communities most vulnerable and insecure.

There are four components of the LeadNext program: leadership training intensive, monthly virtual masterclasses, mentorship, and the Global Leaders Summit. The LeadNext Fellows’ visit to Stanford was part of the culminating Global Leaders Summit. Prior to my talk on “What does it mean to be a global citizen?,” I had the chance to listen to self-introductions of the 20 2024 LeadNext Fellows, half of whom come from across the Asia-Pacific region and the other half from the United States. I was so impressed with the Fellows and their research projects and the tremendous diversity of the cohort.

The 2024 LeadNext Fellows are listed below.

• Enkhuun Byambadorj, Mongolia
• Max Han Kai Ding, Malaysia
• Sereyvoleak Dy, Cambodia
• Bryanna Entwistle, United States
• Bella Gomez, United States
• Deziree Harmon, United States
• Jorge Hernandez-Perez, United States
• Shannon Yunran Hong, United States
• Maha Husain, Pakistan
• Engel Laisina, Indonesia
• Tashi Lhazom, Nepal
• Surah Marks-Trammell, United States
• Ananya Mathur, Singapore
• Audrey Meigs, United States
• Trần Thảo Nguyên, Vietnam
• Anitvir Singh Taunque, United States
• Michaela Tse, United States
• Leki Tshering, Bhutan
• Laura Vorbach, United States
• Marciano Lopes Zemecas, Timor-Leste

Following my talk—during which I shared eight personal reflections on “What does it mean to be a global citizen?”—I had the opportunity to listen to presentations by five LeadNext Fellows. The LeadNext Fellows and their presentation topics are listed below. Five things really stood out about each presentation: (1) the appreciation that each expressed for the opportunity to participate in the LeadNext online and in-person programs; (2) the passion with which each spoke about their homelands; (3) the enthusiasm for the sense of community that each felt with their LeadNext cohort; (4) the critical importance each placed upon the importance of international perspectives on their research topics; and (5) the importance that each placed upon the leadership of youth.

• Max Han Kai Ding (Malaysia): Environment and Human Rights, Perspective from Malaysia
• Sereyvoleak Dy (Cambodia): Promoting Youth Participation and Policymaking Processes in Cambodia
• Tashi Lhazom (Nepal): The Art of Storytelling as Advocacy, Perspective from Nepal
• Leki Tshering (Bhutan): Jigme Singye Wangchuck (JSW) School of Law in Bhutan
• Marciano Lopes Zemecas (Timor-Leste): Human Rights and Leadership for Community and Youth Development in Rural Communities in Timor-Leste

As noted above in the LeadNext program description, “harnessing the innovation and energy of young leaders is essential” and given that SPICE’s focus is on the empowerment of youth, I feel very grateful for the synergy that is growing between LeadNext and SPICE. I have been fortunate to meet online with several 2023 and 2024 LeadNext Fellows—including Michaela Tse (photo below courtesy Michaela Tse)—since their return home. I hope to expand SPICE’s collaborative work with LeadNext, and am so grateful to Ripley and Minami for the opportunity.
 

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On June 24, the student cohort gathered in Shanghai for the program’s kickoff. While in Shanghai, students toured the store and warehouse of the innovative grocery chain model, Freshippo. Next, students learned about cutting-edge environmental initiatives and spoke directly with young professionals at Ant Finance. The Shanghai leg of the trip also featured a tour of the Luckin Coffee factory, which is the largest roastary in Asia, and a networking dinner with local Stanford alumni.

“It was incredible talking to people in very high positions of power in these digital companies that we took tours of, for example, the Ant group or even some of the manufacturing companies we went to...that the core thesis of their drive for profit, it's underpinned by, ‘we need to be environmentally friendly.’” Arshia Mehta, a management science and engineering major going into consulting, reflected on these visits. 

From Shanghai, students traveled to Deqing, a prosperous rural county in the Yangtze river delta region, where they explored a local health clinic and a pearl farm responsible for a sizable portion of global pearl production. From Deqing, students traveled to the nearby township of Tongxiang, where they dove into China’s dynamic manufacturing sector through informative conversations with factory personnel and tours of a conveyor belt factory and fiber glass company. 

The program cohort then traveled to Xi’an, where they had the opportunity to marvel at the Terracotta Warriors and explore the city’s Muslim Quarter. From urban Xi’an, students rode a bus through tunnels and over mountains towards the rural county of Ningshan, where they visited a local parenting center, rural agricultural communities, and local hospitals. Students also visited local households where they conversed with villagers and families to learn more about rural life in Ningshan.

“Everybody wanted their children to go to college, everybody wanted to see a better future and how to help for that future,” said first year political science major Garrett Molloy, “that reminds me – no matter how distant we seem politically, people are actually very similar.”

Finally, after traveling overnight on a sleeper train, students arrived in Beijing. While in China’s capital, the cohort toured the newly operational Xiaomi EV factory, engaged with students from Tsinghua University High School and Peking University, and spoke directly with the country’s stock market regulators. Students also joined the 4th of July celebration hosted by the U.S. Embassy, where they were greeted by the U.S. Ambassador to China, Nicholas Burns.

Reflecting on her conversation with the Ambassador, Amaya Marion, a junior studying international relations, said, “This trip makes me more certain that I do want to do something in the future with U.S.-China relations.”

The student cohort also had ample opportunity to explore China’s culture and history throughout the program. They visited a paleolithic archaeological site, learned to make traditional Chinese rice cakes, practiced the art of Chinese calligraphy, and visited the Zhujiajiao Water Town. The cohort also explored traditional indigo tie-dyeing practices and cloisonné, an ancient technique for decorating metalwork with colored enamel material.

Students not only gained new insights from the cultural and business visits, they also learned from one another. Stella Meier, Stanford junior studying international relations, remarked, “this is a really remarkable opportunity to see parts of China that otherwise wouldn't be accessible to me.”

Having experienced urban and rural China firsthand over the course of two weeks, students walked away with a deeper and more nuanced understanding of China’s economy and people that, according to one student, “fundamentally reshaped my global perspective.” To continue facilitating transformative student exchanges with China, planning for SCCEI’s second annual Summer Program is already well underway.
 

Watch the Program Highlights 

Visit the program page for more program details and future program announcements.