Essays:
Recipients of the Bain scholarship share their thoughts on how they are coping in the aftermath of 3/11, their experiences at school, the impact of their scholarship, and their goals for the future.
5th-Year Student
Dept. of Electronic Control Engineering, Sendai National College of Technology
Before the earthquake, I used to get to school by taking the JR Senseki Line and transferring to the Senzan Line, but the Senseki tracks between my house and the Sendai Station were washed away by the tsunami, so I now have to use a combination of trains and buses, which takes a lot longer. The only way to make the trip a bit shorter was to use the express bus to Sendai Station and get on the Senzan Line there, but the cost was twice what I used to pay. Luckily, the scholarship has allowed me to use this route. I also used the funds to cover my entrance exams for university and the transportation costs to the exams, books and stationery supplies for my studies, and my lunches at school.
This past year, since I was in my fifth year, I was assigned to a research lab. My lab was studying how hydrogen energy could safely be used instead of fossil fuels in order to stop the progression of global warming. I learned how the knowledge I was gaining from my professor and the literature could play a role in the future, and I was very impressed with the fact that some of the research I did could be useful to the world.
I also learned this year how difficult it is to bring together many people to create one thing. We had a robotics competition for our student fair, and my group divided up the circuitry, programming, and body of the robot, but when it came time to assemble the robot, the wiring did not work at first, there were programming errors, and so on. Luckily, with cooperation among the group members, we were able to figure out the issues in a relatively short period of time, and we were all proud to see the robot in action.
I graduated from the Sendai Kosen in March 2012, and I am so grateful to everyone who supported the Bain Capital Kosen Scholarship Program for making this possible.
4th-Year Student
Dept. of Communications & Information Science, Fukushima National College of Technology
This year, I used the Bain Capital scholarship to take on new challenges. It allowed me, for example, to leave my part-time job to take on a more relevant internship that provided an excellent learning opportunity and invaluable experience. I also participated this past year in a number of international events, such as a Japan-China-Korea youth forum held in Seoul as part of a project sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I was the youngest participant in the delegation from Japan, and for roughly one week I participated in discussions and cross-cultural activities that created friendships between participants and allowed us to talk about the future of our three countries. It gave me a real sense of how critical it is to improve my English and conversational abilities. In addition, I participated in a government-sponsored Japan-ASEAN Youth Leaders Summit held in Tokyo. There were about 500 participants, and discussions were held in English. The experience allowed me to hear various ideas and opinions from exceptional individuals from throughout ASEAN and Japan and to broaden my perspective.
Over the summer, I participated in a one-month internship in my hometown of Iwaki as part of a government-sponsored internship program to help the region recover. This gave me real-life work experience and let me learn about the company. I was able to help them with an exhibit of photos of cherry blossoms in the evacuation zone around the Fukushima nuclear plant, which reminded me once again of the need for recovery in the region.
I am continuing to work hard at school so that I will be able to continue my studies after next year, and will be using the scholarship for textbooks and other supplies. I hope to continue participating in these types of extracurricular activities as well so that I can learn as much as possible.
4th-Year Student
Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Fukushima National College of Technology
After three years, memories of the disaster seem to be fading from people’s minds. However, Bain Capital’s continued support shows that they have not forgotten and I am truly grateful for that. Thanks to this scholarship, I have been able to keep up with my peers academically by being able to purchase essential school supplies. More importantly, this scholarship allowed me to enjoy a typical student life by covering my dorm and living expenses.
This year I deepened my understanding of mechanical engineering through academic and extracurricular activities as well as an internship at Yokohama National University. Through the internship, I participated in collaborative research with both college and graduate students who taught me the value of mechanical engineering and communication skills. More importantly, it molded my mindset more into that of an adult and an engineer. Therefore, I look at this experience as beneficial to both my academic and personal growth. This growth would not have been possible without the scholarship, which I used to defray the transportation costs.
After contemplating my future, I have decided to continue my education and devote myself to my studies. I hope to greatly contribute to my hometown’s recovery and return the area to its pre-disaster condition. I want to make it a city bustling with people once more. Also in order to become an engineer, I plan to make my last year in school a fulfilling one. I am grateful for the scholarship and all of your support.
Summaries of Other Essays:
2013–2014 School Year
5th-Year Student
Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Sendai National College of Technology
This year I started looking for a post-graduation job. This search was very expensive since I had to pay for transportation to and from Tohoku, the cost of buying a suit, as well as a host of other fees. Fortunately, I was able to cover these expenses using the Bain scholarship and, in the end, I received an offer of employment. After I had finished my job-hunting activities, I concentrated my energies on creating lasting memories of my last year as a student traveling through Tohoku. Seeing the extent of the damage wrought by the disaster caused me to think about what I could do to help the region recover. This trip of personal reflection was due in part to the Bain scholarship, which I used to cover my travel expenses.
3rd-Year Student
Dept. of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Ichinoseki National College of Technology
I learned many of the practical skills necessary to become an engineer this year in class through scientific experiments and exercises. Bolstered by the knowledge that I had learned in class, I took my first step toward getting a job in the technical field by taking and passing the Fundamental Information Technical Engineer Exam. The scholarship covered the expenses associated with taking the exam such as exam fees, test preparation, etc. Also, the scholarship allowed me to continue my activities in the table tennis club by defraying equipment and membership fees. I really appreciate Bain Capital’s continued support of my education.
This year marked my first time developing learning materials for small children. Until then, I had never thought about the process of developing such materials. Together with my similarly novice classmates, we conducted an experiment using household items such as lemons and spoons to produce a battery. Then we summarized the results in a poster for elementary school students. It was difficult to present the information in a way that even small children could understand but we were able to complete the task successfully. I purchased reference books and equipment for experiments with the scholarship so it played a huge role in my academic success this year.
4th-Year Student
Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Ichinoseki National College of Technology
This year was one of growth for me. I had many opportunities to travel to places such as Fukushima, Tokyo, Osaka, and Tottori for school events. No matter where I went, I experienced many firsts and with each trip, I grew as a person. I wouldn’t have been able to travel without the financial support of the scholarship. The scholarship also allowed me to do my best while on the track and field team by covering the cost of new track shoes. As a result, I placed third in the 200 meter and second in the 4×100 meter relay at the Tohoku Junior College Meet.
3rd-Year Student
Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Fukushima National College of Technology
Although it has been three years since the disaster, my family’s budget still has not fully recovered. However, thanks to the Bain scholarship, I was able to cover my dorm living expenses without burdening my parents financially. This year I had labs nearly every day as well as a lot of homework from other classes, so it was a tough year academically. Nevertheless, I think my experiment and report writing skills increased accordingly, so it was a good year.
4th-Year Student
Dept. of Information & Communication Engineering, Sendai National College of Technology
Since I was a child, I have been interested in bikes and dreamed of riding around on a motorcycle. I have not been able to get my motorcycle license yet because of a lack of money and time. However, I hope to use the Bain scholarship to cover the costs necessary to make my childhood dream a reality as soon as I have more time. Extracurricular activities and research kept me very busy this year. I continued to practice hard in track, even during exams, and was able to set a new personal best at the junior college tournament. At the same time, I spent long hours in the lab working on presentations and programming. As a result, my presentation skills have improved greatly.
5th-Year Student
Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Ichinoseki National College of Technology
Completing my senior thesis on the corrosion of stainless steel taught me many things this year. I believe that deepening our understanding of how and why stainless steel corrodes will be essential to future applications of this widely used material. Thanks to the scholarship, I was able to focus fully on my research without worrying about how I was going to cover my school and living costs. Also, at my coming-of-age ceremony, I reunited with classmates who I had not seen since the disaster. We talked at length about the disaster and hearing their stories made me realize the importance of our bond. Therefore, I will endeavor to contribute to society and become a pillar of strength for my family.
2012–2013 School Year
5th-Year Student
Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Ichinoseki National College of Technology
This year, my scholarship funds helped pay for the entrance exam for university, including the exam fees, the reference materials, the transportation to the exam, and the lodging overnight. If I hadn’t had this scholarship, I would have had to give up my dream of continuing my education. I am very grateful to everyone who provided me with this opportunity. The day that the disaster struck, I saw many children crying because they had lost their homes or their parents in the earthquake. And I saw children—much younger than I was at the time—who were crying as they watched the tsunami hit. I’m still not able to do anything yet, but someday, I want to be able to contribute in some small way to help those children, those young victims with such promising futures ahead of them, to be able to fulfill their dreams. I want to help others in the same way that all of the businesspeople and kindhearted people who created this scholarship have helped me. Although this scholarship does not have to be repaid, I hope to repay it by working hard to achieve my dream and contribute to society.
4th-Year Student
Dept. of Electrical & Computer Engineering, Ichinoseki National College of Technology
The Bain Scholarship has been an enormous help in alleviating the financial uncertainty that I was facing following the earthquake. I greatly appreciate it. I have used the scholarship for exam fees to earn certifications, to buy the reference books I needed to study for the exams, to buy other books to expand my knowledge, and for other costs associated with my studies. This year, I was suffering from a major illness, and it gave me a good opportunity to rethink my future and set new goals for myself. I want to use everything I have learned to date and take a step down a new path. I hope to learn as much as I can, absorb that, and become an adult who can contribute to society.
3rd-Year Student
Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Ichinoseki National College of Technology
This year was a turning point in my life at Kosen. Through a number of overnight field trips, I got a much stronger sense of being a Kosen student, while I began to get involved in more activities that were geared toward my future. The field trips gave me a great opportunity to see a manufacturing plant up close, for example, which gave me a much better understanding of the processing technology they use, the types of personnel that companies are looking for, and so on. We also visited a trade show in Tokyo and got to see cutting-edge technology in various fields. What really struck me, though, was that people in the streets—both Japanese and foreigners—were speaking English. This gave me a real sense of how important English is going to be in society. I have been also doing well on the track team this year, winning first place at the Kosen tournament, and have also been working hard on programming.
2nd-Year Student
Dept. of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Ichinoseki National College of Technology
This year, I studied calculus, linear algebra, and basic physics, which will be the foundation for my future science and math studies. I also focused on data management and have become interested in web design. I gave a lot of thought this year to the best study methods for myself, which helped me to get results that I was satisfied with. Last year, I served as the class vice president, and this year I was appointed as class secretary. In the upcoming year, I’m going to be the class treasurer. I have gotten accustomed to life at school and in the dorms. My family continues to live in temporary housing, and has started working on rebuilding our home. It seems like the area around them is slowly starting to recover.
4th-Year Student
Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Sendai National College of Technology
In addition to using the scholarship funds to support my daily living and train fares, this year I was able to use them to take advantage of a two-week internship at a company in Kanagawa and to travel for a training program (in both cases, I needed to wear a suit and have a bag for going to the office, which I did not own before).
3rd-Year Student
Dept. of Information & Communications Engineering, Sendai National College of Technology
Two years have passed since I lost my father, and the grief and sense of loss is gradually subsiding. Thanks to the support from the Bain Capital Fund, I’ve finally been able to return to a normal life. Unfortunately, I believe I became a bit too dependent on being helped by others, and my studies started to suffer. I did very badly on my first semester mid-term exams, and it was a big shock. At first, I got very depressed and did not want to do anything, but luckily my teachers reached out to me, gave me their support, and let me retake the exams. Thanks to their efforts, and the support from the Bain Capital Fund, I have realized that I must give it my all. In the fall, I had extramural training and was able to visit NTT Docomo’s Tohoku Branch, where they told us about their disaster preparedness measures and other aspects of their work, and we also visited a working farm. The experience brought me closer to my fellow students and made me take a fresh look at both my studies and my future.
2nd-Year Student
Dept. of Electrical Engineering, Sendai National College of Technology
I am extremely grateful for the Bain Capital Kosen Scholarship. Even one year after the earthquake, although my life had settled down a bit, it was still a very difficult period, and the scholarship gave me security and peace of mind. I used it for reference materials, school supplies, and to cover living costs. My second year at school was tough since the curriculum started to get more specialized and challenging. Calculus was particularly hard for me, but the experience I gained from carrying out experiments and preparing reports this year will be very useful for my studies in the coming years. In my third year, the classes will be even more specialized and I will start working to earn certifications in my field. I will also continue to try to improve my English, which is still not very good. I know that it will be important for my future life, so I have to overcome my self-doubts and master it.
5th-Year Student
Dept. of Communications & Information Science, Fukushima National College of Technology
My family lost our home in the disaster and had to rebuild. Last May, we completed reconstruction and were able to move back in. Between the cost of rebuilding and the fact that my mother was laid off due to the disaster, my family was in a difficult financial situation, and it was thanks to this scholarship that I was able to continue my studies. In my final year here, I was busy with my senior research thesis and playing in the school band. We performed in a number of band competitions and received a bronze medal at the Tohoku Band Competition. I have been accepted into a national university for the coming school year, and this too was thanks to the support of the Bain Capital scholarship. I am extremely grateful that I was able to pursue my studies just as I had been doing before the disaster.
3rd-Year Student
Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Fukushima National College of Technology
As a Bain Capital Kosen Scholarship recipient, I was aided in many ways. I used the funds primarily to cover the costs of staying in the dorms (which provide me with an excellent environment for studying), course materials, and the costs of taking certification exams. This year, we carried out creative practical training exercises in class. One of the projects we carried out was to construct a wheelchair that could be used in a disaster. Reflecting on my own experience as a victim of a disaster, I was able to think about what would work in what kind of conditions, and by producing that, I felt like I was contributing in a small way to the recovery in the region.
The ban on entering the area around my home was lifted this year, and we were finally able to return to our home after two years. It was a very difficult sight to see. The scenery that I grew up with is gone. It made me realize again how deep the scars of the disaster really are. Seeing that sad reality, I am committed to finding some way to take action in the coming year to help in the recovery. I want to use the scholarship to study and learn so that in the future, I can work on behalf of my hometown and myself. I hope to expand my knowledge of mechanical engineering so that I can help restore my hometown and make it a wonderful place to live once again.
2nd-Year Student
Dept. of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Fukushima National College of Technology
I used the Bain Capital scholarship funds mainly to cover the expenses of living in the dorms and for materials I needed to take certification exams. This greatly eased the burden on my parents, so I am deeply grateful. I was also able to join the school band this year thanks to the scholarship. I’ve been working hard to balance my time so that my studies do not suffer, and I hope to continue with this in my third year as well. After two years, my family is still not able to return to our home, and so they remain in Yamagata Prefecture. When I go to visit them, it is in a place that I did not grow up in, so that is difficult, but I try to think of it as a good opportunity. For my family, however, it must be very difficult to live far from home, so I try not to be a bother to them and do my best at school to give them some peace of mind.