Scholarships Offer Relief From Financial Burden, Insight Into Community Leaders' Legacies
JACL's two new memorial scholarships can help more students cope with rising college costs.
In life, Deni Uejima knew about pain - both the physical kind associated with his struggle with chronic bone infection and the emotional effects of his childhood internment at Gila River during World War II. But the former high school math teacher spent a lifetime educating those around him that strong minds could overcome weak bodies.
Even after his death last June at 73, his life's lesson is continuing to reach young leaders in a way that is quintessential Deni. The former Azusa, Calif. resident gave $20,000 to the JACL to establish the Deni Y. and June N. Uejima Memorial Scholarship.
Both Deni and his wife June, who passed away nearly a decade ago, were very committed to JACL and the Japanese American community, said Annette Mickelson, their niece and trustee.
"A scholarship makes sense because Deni was an educator and both he and June were highly intelligent individuals who made the most of the educational opportunities they received," said Ed Ezaki, Deni's cousin.
Since JACL started its national scholarship program in 1946, donors have helped to establish over 30 memorial scholarships to fund the educational endeavors of future young community leaders. In more recent years, about one new scholarship has been established a year.
But recently, JACL received donations to establish two new scholarships including one from Deni and another from the late Grace Andow, a former Cleveland chapter member and legal secretary, whose dedication to the community influenced her to invest in the future even after her passing in April 2006 at 84.
And it turns out our future leaders need all the help they can get.
Young, Smart and Financially Strapped
The average cost at four-year public colleges rose 6.6 percent in 2007-2008, according to the nonprofit College Board's annual survey of college costs. At four-year private colleges, tuition and fees rose 6.3 percent. The increasing cost of higher education has forced students to borrow more, work harder and seek alternative methods to finance their education.
Many young JACLers like Stevie Hatakeyama, a fourth year undergraduate nursing major at Sonoma State University, rely heavily on scholarship money to help ends meet.
"I used to work around 24-plus hours a week at my old job and found it absolutely draining when coupled with trying to be a successful full-time student," said Hatakeyama, 22, of Visalia, Calif. Last year, she won the JACL's Henry and Chiyo Kuwahara Memorial Scholarship for $5,000. For Hatakeyama, a Yonsei, every dollar counts until her graduation in December
"I have been able to live!" she said. "Scholarship money along with a new job has helped me be able to work 15 hours a week, have less stress, more focus on my scholastics and not feel as guilty about not being able to handle more work."
At the University of Utah, fourth year undergraduate Greg Stillman, 22, calls the in-state tuition a bargain in comparison to other large U.S. universities, but daily school related expenses are a drain.
"Textbooks are ridiculously expensive, especially in the sciences where books can run $250 a piece for just one semester," said the Yonsei Salt Lake City JACL chapter member, who is majoring in chemistry and economics.
Stillman was the 2007 winner of the Kenji Kajiwara $5,000 memorial scholarship, a perfect fit he said because of the scholarship's emphasis on higher education.
Although the financial assistance was a welcomed relief, both young scholars said the symbolic support from former community leaders was just as important.
"It is a signal of support that what I am doing with my life right now - being in school and striving for success in school - is supported by the organization," said Stillman.
Enduring Legacies
"Grace was interested and proud of her heritage," said her brother Roy Andow. "I think she would tell future generations in order to succeed in life, you must be honest, energetic and show concern for your fellow man."
Grace was a longtime member of the Cleveland JACL before her passing in 2006. The former wedding planner turned legal secretary died in Los Angeles, Calif. from cardiopulmonary arrest, complications from pneumonia and sepsis.
"I feel that she was quite independent in her views and lifestyle as a single woman of Japanese descent in her generation," said Jan Toyota about her Nisei aunt, who never married, enjoyed traveling and loved her orchids.
Grace made a testamentary bequest of $50,000 to the JACL for the establishment of a law scholarship in her memory. Based on the donor's request, $5,000 will be awarded starting this year until the fund including any accumulated earnings is depleted, said David Kawamoto, national JACL scholarship committee chair.
"She gave her enthusiasm, ability and volunteered almost all of her spare time to the organization," said Roy.
Deni also had the same passion for the JACL. Once his donation earns enough, young JACLers will be able to apply for his memorial scholarship.
"I think that JACL was part of Deni's way of doing his part as a patriot, to ensure that civil liberties would be respected for others," said Ed, whose father was a 442nd veteran.
From a young age, Deni suffered from osteomyelitis, an infection of the bone. In the 1960s, he met and married June, who was disabled. They never had children, but they were devoted to each other, said Mickelson.
"My experience is that suffering hardship either makes people bitter or compassionate and Deni was the latter," said Ezaki, who added that if Deni were alive, he would tell the future winner of his scholarship to buy books - not an iPod.
"Deni had a great sense of humor and he knew kids pretty well."
The Pacific Citizen Web site gives you a sampling of the stories currently in the print edition of the P.C. Click here to subscribe and get two months free!
Print This Article-
Email This Article