STEM-Focused Student Ambassador Program

NCJEF was established to encourage a greater and more diverse number of US students to study in STEM-related fields in Japan in order to inspire the next generation of great thinkers and leaders. Together, we are prepared to confront our most pressing global challenges.

That is why the Foundation created the NCJEF Student Ambassador program. Each year, the Foundation selects a group of North Carolina students to serve as ambassadors on the grassroots level. These students represent the diversity of the United States, one of our nation’s greatest strengths. They have studied in Japan and have a deep understanding of Japanese culture and history. As ambassadors, these students not only share their transformative international experiences, but also play a vital role in furthering the Foundation’s mission.

Our trips are language immersion programs in which students live with host families, attend classes in Japanese high schools and universities, and participate in cultural practicums. Our goal is to represent the diversity of North Carolina and offer a range of scholarships and fellowships.

The US-Japan relationship is our most consequential; the student-to-student ties developed today will pay dividends long into tomorrow. In order to compete, collaborate, and succeed in the global marketplace, all Americans, regardless of where they come from, must have the opportunity to study abroad and learn a foreign language — our future depends on it. Simply put, NCJEF’s student ambassadors are the best messengers of our mission to strengthen the US-Japan relationship through study abroad.