FROM OUR OUTGOING
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
What an exciting year this has been for the IUC! The eagerly anticipated 60th anniversary opened with the announcement that the IUC had been awarded a Foreign Minister’s Commendation from the Government of Japan, on the heels of which followed 還暦 kanreki celebrations at Stanford, Tokyo, and Yokohama. Together, we reflected on the collective accomplishments of the IUC, appreciating the work of IUC alumni, students, and teachers. We also paved the way for a bright future, welcoming a new Alumni Relations Officer, Kelsey Reardon, and a new full-time teacher, Takuto Ito, as well as adding elective courses on business and media studies and publishing a new textbook, Keigo for Tailored Japanese Communication. None of this would have been possible without the support of IUC alumni, donors, and academic leadership, and the dedication of IUC teachers, staff, and administrative leadership.
Serving this community as Executive Director for the last 14 years has been the privilege of a lifetime. I will return to full-time research and teaching in September 2024 with complete confidence that the IUC has everything it needs to continue thriving. I know that you will join me in welcoming the incoming Executive Director, Kiyoteru Tsutsui, and that you will offer him the same guidance and support you so generously gave to me throughout my term. I look forward to joining the ranks of longstanding IUC supporters and to seeing you at future IUC events!
With heartfelt gratitude for your support,
Indra Levy
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IN THIS EDITION
- Center News: Pedagogy Workshop, New Textbook, Leadership Board Updates & Welcoming our Alumni Relations Officer
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Student News: Celebrating the Class of 2024 & Introducing our Summer & Kanbun Students
- Events: Yokohama 60th Celebration, AAS Seattle Reception & More
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Alumni News & Resources: Recent Publications, Appearances, Facebook & LinkedIn
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SUPPORT THE IUC
Your support is critical to our students. To make your gift today, visit our website. To find out how to make a planned gift, please email Wen Chen at wenachen@stanford.edu.
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IUC HOSTS FIRST PEDAGOGY WORKSHOP | |
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The IUC’s first Pedagogy Workshop was held in Yokohama on July 8–9. Participants included faculty from the IUC as well as five member schools: Brigham Young University, Columbia University, Stanford University, Princeton University, and Harvard University. Topics covered included the changing nature of the IUC student body, general trends in language teaching and higher education in North America and Japan, and the challenges and opportunities posed by AI.
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IUC PUBLISHES NEW TEXTBOOK | |
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Keigo for Tailored Japanese Communication is a completely revised edition of the IUC’s classic textbook, Formal Expressions for Japanese Interaction, which was first published in 1991. The book is designed to help students understand the various functions of the Japanese language, from formal to informal, through explanations of key points and examples of conversations. This text will help you learn to choose appropriate expressions for various situations and conversation partners.
The book is available for purchase at Amazon Japan in both paperback and Kindle versions.
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We’re thrilled to share that Larry Bates (’85), Sarah Lubman (’85), and Hazen Moore (’80) have joined the IUC Leadership Board. We’d also like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to Glen S. Fukushima for his ten years of dedication and service to the IUC as he steps down from the Leadership Board. | |
WELCOMING OUR NEWEST TEAM MEMBER | |
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KELSEY REARDON
Alumni Relations Officer
kreardon@stanford.edu
Kelsey spent the past five years in venture capital marketing at Mayfield, where she worked to drive content initiatives, design and manage events, and cultivate a vibrant community among the firm’s portfolio companies. She is excited to bring this experience to the IUC as our new Alumni Relations Officer.
Kelsey graduated from Stanford in 2018 with a BA in East Asian Studies and a focus on Japanese literature and the digital humanities. She has a deep love for all things Japan and is always plotting her next trip there. When not at work, she can be found playing steel pan with her band.
If you have ideas for the alumni community, questions, comments, or just want to chat, feel free to reach out to her!
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CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS OF 2024!
Congratulations to the IUC Class of 2024! On June 7, 53 students graduated from our 10-month program. The end of the year was marked by various festivities including a farewell yakatabune river cruise on June 6 with Nippon Foundation Chairman Yohei Sasakawa for the 20 Nippon Foundation Fellows and a special sushi lunch on June 11 at IUC benefactor Toshizo Watanabe’s home for the 17 Watanabe Fellows. We're so proud of all our IUC graduates and look forward to keeping in touch as you embark on the next stage of your exciting life journeys!
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Congratulations to the ten IUC students who presented the results of their research trips to Japan Heritage sites at the Cerulean Tower Noh Theater in Shibuya on June 12. Sites visited ranged from Hokkaido in the north to Kyushu in the south. We are grateful to Tokyu Hotels for sponsoring this second year of the Japan Heritage Project. Thanks also to Japan Airlines for providing air tickets, to local authorities for help with coordination, and to the Rotary Club of Tokyo Crosscity for financially supporting the June event.
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SPONSOR VISITS
On April 2, IUC Resident Director Bruce Batten and Associate Director Soichi Aoki paid a courtesy visit to the Shoyu Club in Kasumigaseki together with four IUC students currently receiving scholarship support from the Club. The Shoyu Club, founded in 1928, generously provides funding for IUC students each year as part of its efforts to promote Japanese language and culture abroad.
On April 24, Eugene Lee, trustee of the Blakemore Foundation, paid us a visit to meet with this year's Blakemore Freeman Fellows.
On July 10, IUC outgoing Executive Director Indra Levy and incoming Executive Director Kiyoteru Tsutsui visited The Nippon Foundation to pay their respects to Chairman Yohei Sasakawa.
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INTRODUCING OUR SUMMER PROGRAM STUDENTS
A great big welcome to the 33 participants in the IUC’s 2024 Summer Program and the four participants in our 2024 Summer Intensive Kanbun Program! This group photo was taken at the welcome party following orientation on June 21. It’s been a great summer so far!
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On July 19, Umeya Nakamura and her apprentice, Umeju, came to the IUC to give a workshop on Nihon buyō, Japanese dance. Umeya is the 8th head of the Nakamura school of Nihon buyō.
This was Umeya's third workshop at the IUC, but the first to be delivered in person. The two previous workshops took place during the pandemic and were held via Zoom.
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SAVE THE DATE: IUC SEPTEMBER HAPPY HOUR IN TOKYO
Friday, September 6, 2024 | 6:30 PM JST | Venue TBA
Save the date for another IUC Tokyo Happy Hour! The IUC Tokyo Events Committee invites you to meet the 2024–25 IUC students and catch up with the IUC community after the summer. Alumni, current students, friends, and family are welcome. Stay tuned for more details coming soon!
If you have any questions, please contact Kai Wasson (’19): kaiwasson@gmail.com
This event is organized by the IUC Tokyo Events Committee.
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IUC 60th: MY YOKOHAMA
On Friday, March 29, the IUC held its third and final 60th anniversary event. This celebration in Yokohama followed reunions at Stanford on October 6 and in Tokyo on December 6. It consisted of presentations by six members of the Class of 2024 on various topics related to their second home, Yokohama:
- “Auspicious Place Names in Yokohama” by Max Andrucki
- “The History of Illumination in Yokohama” by Yifei Wang
- “Searching for England in Yokohama” by Michael Judd
- “Ernest Satow and Yokohama” by Thomas Boughton
- “What Makes Yokohama Unique: Multiculturalism in Tsurumi Ward” by Helena Xavier
- “Yokohama, the City that Makes the Most of Art” by Osasha Fertal
The audience consisted of fifty persons, including current and former IUC students, faculty, and staff; Yokohama city officials; and members of the general public. Thanks to the students for doing such a great job and to the audience for attending.
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AAS 2024 - IUC ALUMNI RECEPTION
On Saturday, March 16, the IUC held a reception in Seattle in conjunction with the Association for Asian Studies’ annual convention. Altogether 81 people attended, including 74 IUC alumni ranging from the Class of 1980 to the Class of 2023. Old friendships were renewed and new friendships were made, and a wonderful time was had by all!
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SPECIAL GUEST LECTURES AND TALKS | |
On Friday, April 12, IUC Executive Committee Chair Petrice Flowers (IUC ’99) of the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa came to the IUC to deliver a workshop on research methodology for the current Nippon Foundation Fellows. One of the takeaways was the important role played by serendipity in guiding the course of research. Students in the audience particularly enjoyed Prof. Flowers’s discussion of the unexpected challenges and opportunities she encountered in her current study of female diplomats in the US and Japan. Thank you, Prof. Flowers!
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On Wednesday, April 24, the IUC welcomed three US diplomats for a discussion with students. In a follow-up to their visit last year, Philip Roskamp, Chief Public Affairs Officer at the US Embassy in Tokyo, Alexei Kral, Director of the Foreign Service Institute Yokohama, and Harvey Beasley (IUC ’07), Deputy Visa Chief at the US Embassy, spoke about their experiences as diplomats and took questions from the fifteen students who attended. Many thanks to CPAO Roskamp, Director Kral, and Mr. Beasley for taking the time to visit the Center again amidst their busy schedules!
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Kate Nakai (Professor Emeritus, Sophia University; IUC ’62) gave the 20th talk in the IUC Lecture Series on Friday, April 26. Professor Nakai was also the inaugural speaker for the series in 2012. Her presentation this time was titled “Stanford University Comes to Japan! The Story Behind the Creation of the IUC.” Prof. Nakai painted a detailed picture of the Center’s birth, drawing on both her own experiences as a student and on material from the Stanford University archives. Altogether 50 people attended the talk, including current and former faculty and students as well as members of the general public. Thank you, Prof. Nakai!
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CHERRY BLOSSOM EVENT & CLASS OF 2022 REUNION
Alumni organized two mini-IUC reunions during the first half of 2024. The first one took place at Share Green Minami Aoyama on Saturday, March 30, and was organized by Alan Acosta (’83). The second was an impromptu reunion for the class of 2022 on May 13, organized by Daniel Morales (’22), who shared, “As with our time at IUC, the days are long, but the years are short.” Thank you to the organizers and all who attended!
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TOKYO HAPPY HOURS
Two Happy Hours were held in Tokyo during June, the first on June 5 at Belgian Brasserie Court - Antwerp Central, and the second on June 28 at Umami Burger Aoyama Shop. There were 20 and 27 participants, respectively – a mix of current students, alumni residing in Tokyo, and alumni visiting from abroad. Thanks to Ben Freedman (’21), Sabrina Lau (’20), Grace Lim (’23), and Richard Sleboda (’03) for organizing!
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MEDIA APPEARANCES & ONLINE EVENTS | |
SHARE YOUR OWN ALUMNI NEWS
Are you working on a Japan-related project, publication, opportunity, or event? We’d love to feature you and your work in our next newsletter! Contact Kelsey Reardon at kreardon@stanford.edu to share your story.
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The IUC maintains two social media accounts specifically for alumni networking and community-building. The IUC Facebook and LinkedIn groups are great places to look for or share career and Japanese study opportunities, let others know about your Japan-related work or passions, and keep up with old friends. | |
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IUC PROFESSIONAL TUTORIALS
The IUC offers a custom-designed tutorials program in advanced Japanese for scholars and professionals at a lower rate for graduates of the IUC. Visit our program page for more information.
MIIS SCHOLARSHIP
IUC alumni enrolling in degree programs at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies (MIIS) are eligible for a scholarship!
The Middlebury Institute educates professionals to advance understanding, promote peace, and drive change in pursuit of a more just world. For details, contact Jill Stoffers, Senior Director of Partnerships at MIIS, by email at jstoffer@middlebury.edu or by phone at (831) 647-6571.
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THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS
The Toshizo Watanabe Foundation
The Nippon Foundation
City of Yokohama
Shoyu Club
Tokyo Club
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Ito Foundation, USA
The Sato Foundation
SMBC Global Foundation
Toshiba International Foundation
Mitsubishi UFJ Foundation
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Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, Stanford University
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IUC MEMBER INSTITUTIONS
Brigham Young University
Columbia University
Harvard University
Princeton University
Stanford University
University of British Columbia
University of California, Berkeley
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University of California, Los Angeles
University of Chicago
University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa
University of Michigan
University of Washington
Yale University
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In Association With:
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
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