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Three Students Earn Scholarships To Study In Japan

David O'Neil has been awarded the highly competitive MEXT scholarship

David O'Neil has been awarded the highly competitive MEXT scholarship

Three University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) students have earned scholarships to study at UNO's sister university in Shizuoka, Japan this academic year.

Their international adventure at Shizuoka University comes on the 50th anniversary of Omaha's sister city relationship with Shizuoka.

David O'Neil is majoring in IT innovation and was awarded the highly competitive MEXT scholarship. (MEXT stands for the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology).

“It is a huge honor," O'Neil said, "I know there were a lot of qualified candidates.”

This will be his first visit to Japan. The scholarship will provide him with free roundtrip airfare, and a ¥117,000 - 120,000 stipend each month, roughly $950 dollars.

“I was really, really happy to receive this scholarship, but my parents were especially ecstatic,” O'Neil said.

He is excited to continue his study of Japanese language, history and politics. O'Neil's goal is to be able to read basic novels written in Japanese.

"It’s much easier to speak conversational Japanese than to be able to read it.”

Quinton McLeod-Barna and Kevin McNear Jr. both earned JASSO scholarships (Japan Student Services Organization). The student exchange scholarship provides a stipend of ¥80,000 each month, roughly $650 dollars.

All three students will have the opportunity to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Omaha's sister city relationship with Shizuoka, Omaha's first sister city, while in Japan. This fall, there will be events in both Omaha and Shizuoka.

Related Links

Sister Cities, Sister Universities (Alumni Magazine, p21)

Commitment to Study Abroad Increase Sees Results

Learn More About Studying Abroad through UNO

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