The Twin Cities JACL scholarship program had modest beginnings. The Twin Cities Chapter of the JACL, formed in 1947, awarded the first scholarships in 1962. The scholarship program for graduating high school seniors began with the goal of recognizing the generation of Sansei and Yonsei for their accomplishments and service to their school or community. The original scholarship applicants had the following traits in common: a willingness to learn, a desire to succeed, and the ability to demonstrate this through their accomplishments. Each year, multiple scholarships are awarded to graduating high school seniors based on the number of applicants.
Over the years, scholarship funds have come from a variety of sources. The Eastern District and Midwest District Convention, hosted by the Twin Cities Chapter of the JACL, was the initial source of scholarship funds. The convention was very well attended and financially very successful. Kimi Hara suggested the chapter establish a scholarship program with convention profits because the young Sansei and Yonsei did not qualify for other minority scholarship programs that existed at that time. Many Issei donated money to our Chapter so that the scholarship program would continue.
In the 1970’s the Twin Cities JACL Scholarship program received a large sum of money from the Twin Cities Independent Church, a Japanese Christian church in Northeast Minneapolis, after its sale. It was the wish of the church members that the money be used to encourage further education.
Many scholarships that followed were established in memory of the loved ones of Twin Cities JACL members. One of the earliest and longest awarded memorial scholarships was the Earl Tanbara Memorial Scholarship, made in memory of Earl Tanbara, who passed away in 1973. The Earl Tanbara Memorial Scholarship has been awarded to more than 50 students over the years. Another long-standing memorial scholarship was established in memory of Susan Tsuchiya Matsumoto who passed away at the young age of 26 in 1980 after a 15-year battle with cancer. This scholarship continues to be awarded to a young person who, like Susan, demonstrates outstanding academic accomplishments, excellence in the arts, and community service. Many other memorial scholarships have been made possible through the generous donations of Twin Cities JACL members.
In addition to the scholarships awarded to graduating high school seniors, the Twin Cities JACL awards two annual graduate level scholarships. These scholarships are awarded to a student currently enrolled in a post-secondary educational program and a student currently enrolled in a graduate level program. Applicants must be active Twin Cities JACL members and are required to write an essay describing their area of study and how their education will be leveraged in the future. Past recipients represent a range of studies including undergraduate and graduate degrees in Education and Fine Arts, PhDs in Economics, Sociology, and Civil Engineering, and Jodo Shinshu Master’s in Divinity.
Since the first year the Twin Cities JACL scholarships were awarded, the young people that applied have shared the same traits as their predecessors: a willingness to learn, a desire to succeed and the ability to demonstrate this through their accomplishments. The criteria for the scholarship have remained essentially the same over the years: scholastic achievement, community service and extra-curricular activities.