JASC Scholarships – Program Overview

As a part of its efforts to preserve and promote our Japanese heritage and to advance the commitment to community service, the JASC administers an annual scholarship program to support members of the Japanese American community to pursue education beyond high school. These JASC scholarships are intended to provide financial assistance to promising students who have demonstrated both academic excellence and service to the Japanese American community.

We thank the many families and individuals who have donated to fund the scholarships and recognize the people for whom our scholarships have been named for both current and prior scholarships: Sam Fukaye Scholarship, Fred Toguri Scholarship; William T. Yamamoto Scholarship; Frank T. Kambara Scholarship; Jean E. Taketoshi Scholarship; John (Jun) Iwaoka Scholarship; Dr. Newton K. Wesley Scholarship; Taketo (Tak) Tomiyama Scholarship.

Congratulations to the 2024 Scholarship Recipients!

JASC awarded five scholarships this year supporting a broad range of fields of study. These dedicated and community-minded students were celebrated at our annual spring fundraiser Cranes & Cocktails. We are please to support the continued studies of the following students:

The John (Jun) Iwaoka Scholarship recipients are:

Kanato Foley, a current senior at Whitney M. Young Magnet High School, will attend Florida State University to pursue a BA in Japanese and Business.

Aiko Hamamoto, a graduate of Grinnell College, will pursue an MA in Library and Information Sciences at San Jose University.

The Taketo “Tak” Tomiyama Scholarship recipients are:

Lisa Doi, a graduate student at Indiana University pursuing her PhD in American Studies.

Jeremiah Rejuso, a DePaul University student, is pursuing a BFA in Film and Television.

Ema Satsutani, a James B Conant High School student, will attend College of DuPage to pursue a BA Kinesiology/Science before becoming a personal trainer.

2025 Scholarship Application information will be posted in late summer 2024.