Caralee Casto, a junior Japanese major, will spend her upcoming junior year at Kansai Gaidai University in Japan with the Asian Studies program. Casto plans to pursue a doctorate in Japanese studies after graduation with eventual plans to work for the Department of State. She is currently a member of Marshall’s Honors College, president of Japan Club and a member of the Sado (Tea) Club.
In addition to the Bridging Scholarship, Casto also received the Morgan Stanley Scholarship, which provides her with an additional $7500. The Morgan Stanley Scholarship is only awarded to two students nationwide, and is a partnership with the Bridging Scholarship.
“Being able to study in Japan is something I never would have dreamed of growing up,” Casto said. “The Morgan Stanley and Bridging Scholarships have opened the door for me to truly experience my study in the way it was meant to be. These scholarships have shown me that others believe in me, and I hope to be a proud representative of Marshall, West Virginia, and each scholarship program I have been honored with.”
In addition to these two scholarships, Casto was also a recipient of the Gilman Scholarship and a Gamestop Scholarship.
Emily Clements, a senior International Affairs major, also received the Bridging Scholarship to study in Japan. Attending Chukyo University in the Aichi Prefecture, Clements hopes to continue her studies in Japanese and international affairs in Japan. Upon graduating, she intends to pursue a graduate degree in Japanese studies and eventually work as a language specialist helping others from backgrounds similar to hers.
“As someone who grew up a small town in rural West Virginia, seeing different cultures was not a common occurrence in my life,” she explained. “Whether it be through teaching Japanese as a foreign language or just speaking to student in areas similar to mine, I want to let students know that there is so much to see in the world outside of the United States.”
For more information about the Bridging Scholarship, visit its website at www.aatj.org/studyabroad/japan-bridging-scholarships or contact Mallory Carpenter by phone at 304-696-2475 or by e-mail at Mallory.carpenter@marshall.edu.
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Photos: Caralee Casto (left) and Emily Clements have received Bridging Scholarship for study in Japan.