Sutematsu Oyama scholarship
Join us in Empowering the Next Generation of Japanese Women Leaders
Funding for the first and second Sutematsu Scholar is complete with 35 million yen and 39 million yen each. We are now accepting donations for the third scholar. As of December, 2024, we are at 59% toward the funding target of $295,000 (44 million yen).
Akiko Kuno and the first Sutematsu scholar
Video Message
Why I support the Sutematsu Scholarship (Akiko Kuno, trustee)
What I learned from a women’s college
Request for donation by Masafumi Nagao, Chair (November 1, 2024)
In 2023, the foundation launched a new scholarship for a female student named after Sutematsu Oyama to empower the next generation of Japanese women leaders through education in the U.S.
Sutematsu (at the age of 11) was sent to the U.S. as a member of the government mission in 1871. 10 years later, she graduated from Vassar College as a valedictorian and as the first Japanese woman to graduate from a college in the U.S. Upon returning to Japan, Sutematsu played important roles in promoting higher education for women.
Even after 100 years, women in Japan still face various obstacles in society. We hope that Sutematsu scholars will embody the spirit of Sutematsu and demonstrate leadership in making a sustainable impact in society.
Thanks to the leadership of Akiko Kuno (the foundation’s trustee, vice president of US Japan Society, and a great granddaughter of Sutematsu), other founding members, and many supporters, we raised 35 million yen, enough to fund the tuition for 4 years in a college in the U.S. The first Sutematsu scholar, Natsu Yamada, is enrolled at Wellesley College. Funding for the second scholar was complete with 39 million yen and she is applying for school this fall.
We are accepting donation for the third scholar. We appreciate your continued support.
Goal for the Sutematsu Scholarship
- To empower women leaders who will work to improve the social status of women
- To support Japanese women to study abroad to fully develop their individual abilities regardless of field and to grow as leaders who will contribute to the building of a prosperous and peaceful society
- To support at least one scholar each year on a continual basis to a reputable liberal arts college for women. At least $295,000 ($73,700 x 4 years, or 44 million yen) will be required to fund the rising tuition cost.
Destination colleges
Sutematsu scholars will have the opportunity to study at one of the following liberal arts colleges, known for educating women leaders.
- Vassar College (coeducational since 1969)
- Barnard College
- Bryn Mawr College
- Mount Holyoke College
- Smith College
- Wellesley College
Scholarship
The scholarship will be awarded to one woman student who will attend one of the above-mentioned colleges for four years. Actual amount will be determined based on the fund raised.
Sutematsu scholars will be entitled to all the privileges and benefits extended to Grew Bancroft scholars, including preparatory support for college application, guidance during and after college.
Eligibility
In addition to the requirements for the Grew Bancroft scholarship, the candidate must self-identify as a woman.
The application and selection process for the Sutematsu Scholarship is the same as that for the Grew Bancroft Foundation Scholarship.
Second Sutematsu Scholarship event was held on 6/30/24
“Women’s college is truly an unique environment where everything is centered on women. There is no place like this. You will learn to thrive there. We did.” (Panelists included president of Tsuda University, students/alumni of Smith, Wellesley, Barnard, Vassar, BrynMawr, and Mount Holyoke.)
Donating
Grew Bancroft Foundation is certified as a public interest incorporated foundation by the Government’s Cabinet office, so donors can enjoy the benefits of Japanese income tax exemption.
For US based donors, donation to the Grew Bancroft Foundation (USA) Inc. is tax deductible as permitted by law under the 501(C)3 provisions of the US tax code.
We now accept donations from US donor advised funds through Charities Aids Foundation (CAF) America, as an approved international charity.
Donation results to date
First scholar: 35 million yen from 69 donors (September 2023)
| Donation category | Donor (GB: former Grew Bancroft scholar) |
| Platinum (5 million yen +) | Akiko Kuno (Trustee) Shogo Maeda (GB) Junko Watanabe/Keiko Watanabe/Ryoko Sado (supporter) |
| Gold (1 million to 5 million yen) | Yuki Niinami (Wellesley College Alum) Sakura Nishimoto (Wellesley College Alum）Edward＆Priscilla Grew（Bryn Mawr College Alum）Eriko Kawai (GB) Kakutaro Kitashiro (Founding member) Mieko Wanibuchi (supporter), Mana Nabeshima (trustee) |
| Silver (500,000 – 1 million yen) | Naoyuki and Sachiko Shiono (trustee), Junichiro Adachi (GB) Masafumi Nagao (GB) |
| Bronze (100,000 – 500,000 yen) | Peter Grilli (supporter), Ken Matsumoto (GB), Kirara Tsutsui (GB), Kazutoshi Ohkubo (GB), Yutaka Horiba (GB),Nobuko Kuzuoka (GB), Shigesuke Kashiwagi (supporter), Akihiro Nakano (GB), Aiko Ohkawara (supporter), Mitsuru Chino (Smith College alum), Yuko Takahashi (founding member, trustee), Shota Ebata (GB), Anna Ricker (GB), Naoki Ueno (GB), Norihiko Suzuki (founding member), Naoki Onishi, (trustee) Anonymous |
| Friends (less than 100,000 yen) | Akiko Sasamoto (GB), Kosuke Yo (GB),Takeshi Hidaka (GB), Yuki Takeda (GB), Norio Akashi (GB), Kohei Takatsuka (GB), Ayako Nomizu（GB), Atsuro Wada（GB), Midori Kawaue (GB), Keiichi Honma (GB), Toru Ohira (GB), Jim Wilson (supporter), Aki Kinjo (Wellesley College alum), Norimichi Kojima (trustee), Ibuki Ogasawara (GB), Sachiko Ohi (supporter), Keiko Kimura (supporter), Yoko Hama (GB), Masahiro Hayafuji (GB), Yoshiyuki Yoshida, Crystal Brunelli, (Wellesley College alum), Yuki Shibasaki (supporter), Mihoko Manabe (Wellesley alum), Kagami Sakai (supporter), Tomone Stelter (GB), Issei Morita (GB), Hiromi Nonaka (supporter), Sara Uehara (GB), Hikaru Shimoda (Vassar alum), Kayo Motoda (supporter), Anonymous (7) |
Second scholar: 39 million yen from 61 donors (October 2023 - July 2024)
| Donation category | Donor (GB: former Grew Bancroft scholar) |
| Platinum (5 million yen +) | Shogo Maeda (GB), Emiko Watanabe (supporter), Anonymous (GB) Terumi Fujisawa (supporter) |
| Gold (1 million to 5 million yen) | Eriko Kawai (GB), Mana Nabeshima (trustee), Yuki Niinami (Wellesley College alum), Junichiro Adachi (GB), Masafumi Nagao (GB), Junko Watanabe/Keiko Watanabe/Ryoko Sado (supporter) |
| Silver (500,000 to 1 million yen) | Sachiko Nukazawa (supporter), Hirotsugu Iikubo (supporter), Mr.&Mrs. Robert (Ron) Fallon (supporter), Richard Dyck (supporter), Edward & Priscilla Grew (Bryn Mawr alum) |
| Bronze (100,000 – 500,000 yen) | Ken Matsumoto (GB), Noriko Yagi (supporter), Peter Grilli (supporter), Allan & Selina Rossiter (supporter), Nreiko (supporter), Hiroshi Yamashita (supporter), Sachiko Taki (supporter), Shigesuke Kashiwagi (supporter), Yoshie Ogawa (supporter), Naoki Onishi (trustee), Yasuyo Abe (GB), Hideki Masuda (supporter), Ibuki Ogasawara (GB) Naoyuki Shiono (trustee) |
| Friends (less than 100,000 yen) | Kosuke Yo (GB), Norio Akashi (GB), Yuko Okamoto (GB), Ayako Nomizu (GB), Sachiko Ooi, Akihiro Nakano (GB), Hiromi Nonaka (supporter), Tomoko Hamabata (GB), Sara Iwasaki (GB), Jim Wilson (supporter), Aya Tsujita (Barnard College alum), Tomoe Kondo (supporter), Takeshi Hidaka (GB), Anonymous (GB), Mike Stebbins (supporter), Mikiko Nishimura (Trustee), Anonymous (2), Shiina Sekimoto (GB), Takeshi Watanabe (supporter) |
We are accepting donations for the third scholar. We are at 59% toward the goal of 44 million yen. (December 2024)
| Donation Category | Donor (GB: former Grew Bancroft scholar) |
| Platinum (5 million yen +) | Martin Collcutt (supporter), Shogo Maeda (GB) |
| Gold (1 million to 5 million yen) | Akiko Kuno (Trustee), Junko Watanabe/Keiko Watanabe/Ryoko Sado (supporter) |
| Silver (500,000 to 1 million yen) | Junichiro Adachi (GB) |
| Bronze (100,000 – 500,000 yen) | Kazumi Teune (supporter) Ruri Kawashima (supporter) |
| Friends (less than 100,000 yen) | Satoru Murase (supporter) Kosuke Yo (GB) Anonymous 2 (supporter) Hiromi Nonaka (supporter) |
Message from the Sutematsu Scholar
Ambassador Grew's tombstone (Boston)I am truly grateful for the opportunity that the Oyama Sutematsu Scholarship has given me. Thanks to the support that I am receiving, I have enrolled at Wellesley College and am about to complete my first semester of studies. The generous contributions made by donors have enabled me to take this important step forward in my life and career—one that I could not have achieved on my own.
At Wellesley College, I am surrounded by a beautiful campus and warm, inspiring people, and I am experiencing the most fulfilling and stimulating days of my life. Every day, I feel immense gratitude for the opportunity to be in such a wonderful environment, and for the support of everyone who made this possible.
I look forward to your continued support of the Oyama Sutematsu Scholarship in the future. Thank you once again.
The first Sutematsu Scholar, Wellesley College Class of 2028
Founding members of Sutematsu Oyama scholarship
- Akiko Kuno (Author “Unexpected Destinations,” great grand daughter of Sutematsu, former executive director of America-Japan Society, a trustee of the Grew Bancroft Foundation) “Unexpected Destinations” PDF version is available below as permitted by author/translator.
- Grew Bancroft Foundation
