Press Release
June 22, 2020
The Japan Exchange & Teaching Program Alumni Association of Northern California Announces Its 2020 Scholarship Recipient
San Francisco, CA – The Japan Exchange & Teaching Program Alumni Association of Northern California (JETAANC) recently announced the recipient of its 2020 scholarship. Ryan Moore, JETAANC Scholarship Coordinator, proudly named Fiona McPherson of Salinas High School in Salinas, CA as the award winner. The JETAANC scholarship selection committee chose Fiona based on her academic excellence, sustained interest in Japan, and numerous extracurricular activities.
In her junior year, Fiona served as President of the Buena Vista 4-H Club, a national organization focusing on youth development, leadership skills, team-building and community service. Prior to that, her other roles had been Secretary, Teen Ambassador and summer camp counselor. According to Fiona, this experience strengthened her public speaking, communication and leadership skills.
During her time at Salinas High, Fiona was selected to represent her city and travel to Japan through the Salinas Sister City Association. While on the program, Fiona practiced her Japanese and participated in a homestay in Ichiki Kushikino. Fiona studied Japanese throughout her four years in high school as well as through the Hikari no Gakko summer program hosted at the Buddhist Temple of Salinas. She had been an active member of her school’s theater group since her freshman year, fulfilling various leadership roles, acting onstage, managing curtains and tech operations backstage and co-writing, co-directing and performing her very own play.
Fiona will attend the University of California, Berkeley in the fall of 2020 and plans to major in Japanese language. She hopes to study business or political science and eventually pursue a career in international business. She also aspires to study abroad in Japan to further improve her Japanese language skills.
Annually, the JETAANC honors one or two high school seniors who have demonstrated academic excellence, possessed interest in Japan, made outstanding contributions to their communities, and who have been accepted into an accredited college or university.