Japanese American Citizens League
2015 National Scholarship Program

The JACL began its National Scholarship and Awards Program in 1946. Recognizing that education is key to greater opportunities for its
members, the JACL offers more than 30 awards with an annual total of more than $70,000 in scholarships to qualified students nationwide.

The National Scholarship and Awards Program offers scholarships in the following categories:

Freshman
Undergraduate
Graduate
Law
Creative & Performing Arts
Financial Aid

All scholarships are one-time awards. For more information go the the JACL website at www.jacl.org/edu/scholar.htm. They can be accessed
by clicking on “Youth” on the menu bar.

Freshman applications are due by March 1, 2015 to the applicant's local JACL Chapter. All other National JACL Scholarship applications
are to be sent directly to: National JACL Scholarship Program, c/o Portland JACL, P.O. Box 86310, Portland, OR 97286. The deadline is
April 1, 2015

For additional information regarding the JACL National Scholarship Program, contact JACL Regional Director Patty Wada at (415) 345-1075
or ncwnp@jacl.org.

 
 

JACL Houston Scholarships & Grants deadline: May 31, 2015

The JACL Houston Scholarship Program adheres to the national guidelines, but has the flexibility to to extend deadlines if needed. The Houston
chapter offers the following scholarships and grants:

  • The Okumura Memorial Scholarship
  • The Hada Memorial Scholarship
  • The Youth Fund

The Okumura Memorial Scholarship awards up to $500 annually for an incoming freshman. The Okumura Memorial Scholarship was
established in 1990 in honor of Ray Okumura who lost his life in a fishing accident off the coast of Galveston. He was the son of Hootch and
Cherry Okumura, long-time members of the JACL Houston. The Entering Freshman scholarship application is used as the basis for assessment.

The Hada Memorial Scholarship offers $500 to one or two selected college student(s) of any classification (e.g., Freshman, Seniors,
Graduate Students). The Hada Memorial Scholarship was established in honor of the late George Hada, husband of Mary Hada.  It was
founded in 1999 and originally funded by Mari and Harry Okabayashi and Howard Lindsey and his late wife Sylvia.  Sylvia and Mari are the
daughters of Mary and the late George Hada.  Applicants must be a member of JACL Houston and should submit an Entering Freshman
application or a written description of their achievements and activities for consideration.

The Youth Fund  can be used for multi-purposes such as sending a student to regional or national conference, providing transportation to a
JACL award recipient, or helping fund an event that will encourage membership in JACL Houston. This fund is used on as needed basis; and
must be funded every year. 

Students who have already received a HADA Memorial Scholarship may apply again.

Applications for the National JACL Entering Freshman, Okumura, and/or Hada scholarships should be submitted by May 31st to:

Patricia Rumble
Scholarship Chair
JACL Houston
4806 Redstart St.
Houston, TX 77035 

For more information, contact Patricia Barry Rumble at trish@mtherapy.com or 713-784-9400.

 

2013 Recipients of the HADA Memorial Scholarship

Lisa Chiba & Naomi Fa-Kaji, Rice students and members of the JACL,
received the 2013 HADA Memorial Scholarship.


Background of JACL Houston Scholarship Program

Houston officially became a local chapter of JACL national in 1974. At the time all scholarship applicants in the southwest region went through
Houston. The activity was minimal until a local scholarship program was established to compliment the national program.

The Okumura Memorial Scholarship was established in 1990 and recipients were alternately selected for several years by JACL and Houston
Lighting & Power. Recipients of this scholarship include.

1990 - Allison Onishi (JACL)
1991 - Jeremy Monthy ( Houston Lighting & Power)
1992 - Kit Hirasaki (JACL)
1993 - Wendy Hall ( Houston Lighting & Power)
1994 - Tim Okabayashi (JACL)
1995 - Derek Philips ( Houston Lighting & Power)
1996 - Andrew Kondo (JACL)
1997 - Joanna Sweigart (JACL)
1998 - No applicants
1999 - Eric Lindsay and Natasha Kondo (JACL)
2000 - Chris Yamazaki (JACL)
2001 - No applicants
2002 - Christine Young (JACL)
2003 - 2010 - No recipients

Recipients of the Hada Memorial Scholarship include:

1999 - Eric Lindsay
2000 - Risa Nishimoto
2011 - Monica Matsumoto and Corey Beaumont

JACL Houston has had several national scholarship award recipients. In 1999, Eric Lindsay, a Rice University incoming freshman and Mari
Hagiwara, a graduate student received national scholarships. In 2011 in addition to the $500 HADA scholarship, Monica Matsumoto also
received a National JACL Undergraduate Scholarship, the Alice Yuriko Endo Memorial Scholarship, in the amount of $1,000.

For more information on local scholarships and grants, please contact the JACL Houston Scholarship Chair, Patricia Rumble, at
trish@mtherapy.com or 713-784-9400.