Crowdfunding from Japan to the world

39th Hachiro Koyama Memorial Scholarship students are finally in the States. We would like to start self-introduction.

The first scholarship student is Mr. Yoshihiko Kichikawa.

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My name is Yoshihiko Kichikawa. I’m very honored to be chosen as one of the 39th Koyama Hachiro Memorial Scholars. I’m a junior at the University of Tokyo, majoring in Classics. Let me introduce myself first.
I was born in Nara (western part of Japan), and went to Nada Junior High and High School in Kobe. When I was in the 2nd year at the high school, I participated in a two-week-long Japan-US exchange program called USHSD, and my life completely changed. That was the first time I went to Tokyo by myself, the first time I lived with students from all over Japan and United States and the first time I knew how much fun I can get just by being active. In high school, I was enthusiastic about student council activities, and served as a president in the last year.
After graduating from high school, I entered the University of Tokyo, Humanities & Social Sciences I (a course focusing on Law and Political Science) since I wanted to put myself in a more stimulating and intellectual environment. Getting the most out of the new environment, I engaged in a short exchange program again, this time between Harvard University and other Asian universities including the University of Tokyo (Harvard College in Asia Program: HCAP). After this program, I started to think again about my future career and thought that going to the Faculty of Law was not the only choice for me. Due to the unique system of our university, we had to declare our major when we were sophomore students, and that was a difficult decision for me because many people from my course would go to the Faculty of Law but I was trying to do something different. During the summer vacation of the sophomore year, however, I took part in a summer program in the United Kingdom and it was a crucial factor in deciding my major. I learned a little bit about Classics in the UK and I thought it was a subject that I should study during my undergraduate years. Subsequently, I decided to study abroad in order to study this western subject in a western country.
I strongly believe that all of these experiences above have formed myself and opened my mind to study abroad. Now, let me state my goal for studying in UIUC as a scholar student.
My goal is, if I put it simply, to be a “global leader”.
What is a global leader like? As stated above, I chose the Department of Classics while most students in my course the Faculty of Law. While Law is a subject for governing the internal politics within one country, Classics is a universal subject. In some western countries, those who study Classics as a bachelor would become a lawyer, bureaucrat or politician after taking a vocational training. I want to study this Classics in a “western” context with much resource and competition among students. That is one major reason I want to study outside Japan. This experience will provide me with a solid basis for becoming a global leader.
The other main purpose is to live with those who have a different background from me. Through the communication with those people, which is difficult to have in Japan because we prioritize homogeneity above all, I want to define “myself” and “Japan” more clearly. I think this is necessary to be a global leader, too. I am confident I can talk to many people without hesitance especially because of my experience as a president at the student council, but I found this was the case only within Japan and with Japanese people. Then, from studying at one of the most diversified universities UIUC, I want to acquire an ability to communicate beyond borders.
Let’s consider what a “global leader” is like. I never think this means we don’t have to think about Japan. I hope I will contribute to Japan in many ways in the future. I will be a global leader who has a Japanese spirit and can compete with rivals all over the world.
“Global leader” is a magic word and I know only stating this as a slogan isn’t of any significance. In UIUC, I will strive to stand out among all those who are from many areas and countries and get the real image of being “global leader”.
To conclude this introduction, I will explain my plan as a student ambassador to introduce Japanese culture. I am not familiar with typical Japanese culture, such as Sa-do or Ka-do. However, I have ample experiences to launch and organize new projects. And I have ample expectations from many people, including victims of 3.11 Tohoku Great Earthquake. Then, I, as a cultural ambassador, will cooperate with other scholars or Japanese students there and hold a Japan festival, which will convey a real picture of current situations in Japan.
I would like to express my gratitude to all of your support.

39th Koyama Hachiro Memorial Scholarship,
The University of Tokyo, Department of Classics, Class of 2017
Yoshihiko KICHIKAWA