Left: Bruce Stronach, Dean Emeritus of Temple University, Japan Campus Right: Masanori Mochida, President and Representative Director of Goldman Sachs Japan Co., Ltd.
Temple University, Japan Campus (TUJ), located in Setagaya, Tokyo held an online press conference on September 9, 2021, to announce the establishment of a major endowed fund to support full-ride scholarships offering access to a top-tier Temple University education for graduates of Japan’s public high schools.
Masanori Mochida, President and Representative Director of Goldman Sachs Japan Co. Ltd, personally contributed $4.5 million (approximately ¥500 million) to establish this student scholarship fund. Mochida and Bruce Stronach, former dean of TUJ, whose longtime friendship with Mochida was the basis for the establishment of the full scholarship supported by the endowed fund, attended the press conference. The two shared their thoughts on supporting the next generation of leaders in Japan through a Temple University education.
Forty years ago, young Mochida developed a close relationship with Stronach on the rugby field. At the time, Stronach was serving as a visiting lecturer at Keio University and Mochida was working at Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank (now Mizuho Bank), which he joined after graduating from university. Mochida was considering attending a business school in the U.S. However, he was unsure if he had the ability to do so. With Stronach’s encouragement, Mochida studied hard and received a letter of recommendation from Stronach to apply to the prestigious Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, which marked a turning point in his life. “I’ve always felt strongly that without Bruce, I wouldn’t be who I am today. I decided that it was time for me to make a concrete expression of my gratitude, which led to this donation for Temple University,” said Mochida.
Upon learning that one in seven children in Japan live in poverty, Mochida has made it a practice to provide support to disadvantaged children for the past 15 years. “There are people who want to study but don’t have the money. Studying is the only way to climb up the economic ladder,” he said. “What we expect from young people, including in our company Goldman Sachs, is the ability to carry out things to completion,” expressing his hope that the scholarship would create new opportunities for young people to pursue a top-quality international education regardless of their financial position.
Former TUJ Dean Stronach recalled, “From the moment we met, Mochida’s intelligence, strength, and integrity were obvious.” Stronach added that Mochida’s subsequent achievements and contributions to society were as outstanding as Stronach had expected. Given his experience of having also lead Yokohama City University as president, Stronach explained the special nature of an American university education, saying, “American universities are very competitive, which is why they can create strong students. Japanese students at TUJ, with its diverse student body and staff, can receive a global education, in the true sense of the word.” He added, “If opportunities for students from regional public schools to receive a global education can be expanded through this scholarship, it will be a valuable asset for Japan.”
Mochida concluded the press conference by saying, “The potential of young people is infinite. It doesn’t matter where you were born. In the end, it’s about whether you work hard, set goals for yourself, and strive towards them,” ending with a message of encouragement for young people.
The press release on the establishment of the “Mochida-Stronach Full Scholarship Program” is available here.
Applications are now being accepted for the first class of Mochida-Stronach scholars who will attend TUJ in 2022. For more details, check here.
Asahi Shimbun Digital
https://www.asahi.com/articles/ASP994HNVP99ULFA00G.html
Mainichi Shimbun (Digital)
https://mainichi.jp/articles/20210910/ddm/008/020/056000c
Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Digital)
https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXZQOUB0977T0Z00C21A9000000/