Blakemore Foundation-Seattle

10/07/2026

When Hilary Holbrow went to Japan as a Blakemore Freeman Fellow in 2008, she never imagined where it would lead. Today she's an assistant professor of Japanese politics and society at Indiana University Bloomington and the author of "The Future Is Foreign: Women and Immigrants in Corporate Japan" (Cornell University Press).

"Without [the fellowship]," Hilary says, "I would not have attended the Inter-University Center for Japanese Language Studies, gone to graduate school, or written the book. I'm deeply grateful for the transformative experience that the fellowship enabled."

We're grateful to have played a small part in Hilary's story.

This fall, a new group of Fellows is settling in across Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, and China. They each arrived with a plan. And like Hilary, some of them may end up somewhere they never expected.

Welcome, 2026-27 Fellows. We can't wait to see where this year takes you. And to our alumni, we love seeing and hearing where your fellowship year is still taking you, even decades later.

Learn more about Blakemore Foundation Fellowships at https://blakemorefoundation.org

Learn more about Blakemore Foundation Fellowships at blakemorefoundation.org

09/30/2026

Sam Galler once debated policy in Chinese as a Blakemore Fellow at ICLP in Taiwan. Today, he leads a data science team at Fidelity Investments.

His career has changed direction, but his experiences studying and working in China and Taiwan still shape how he works and leads.

In this Education About Asia interview with fellow Blakemore alumna Elise Huerta (Chinese, 2018), Sam (Chinese, 2017) describes how understanding different workplace cultures helps him connect with colleagues and create a team where people feel comfortable asking questions. He also recalls leading some meetings in Chinese during a collaboration between his New York team and colleagues in China in a previous finance role.

Sam also shares practical career advice for Asian Studies graduates navigating the job market in the age of AI.

As cuts to federal funding reduce opportunities for Asian Studies and language education, Sam’s experiences remind us of the lasting value of language study and cultural immersion. Blakemore Foundation Fellowships support a full academic year of advanced Asian language study, giving fellows time to deepen their proficiency, build relationships, and develop a more nuanced understanding of the cultures and communities where they live.

Thank you, Sam and Elise, for sharing this conversation!

Watch:

Feature Articles Asian Studies Beyond the Academy: Interview with Dr. Samuel Galler Author: Elise Huerta (Association for Asian Studies) Feature Articles Asian Studies Beyond the Academy: Interview with Dr. Samuel Galler Author: Elise Huerta (Association for Asian Studies) Options Share: 𝕏   A- ...

08/26/2026

Inaugural Blakemore Foundation-ICWA fellow Julia Walton julia m walton at her launch dinner in Washington, DC. Julia will spend a year examining youth civic participation in Japan amid demographic change.

L to R: Former Japan Society President Joshua Walker, Keidanren USA Executive Director Teruko Wada, Denny Lane, Trustee Naoko Aoki, Fellow Julia Walton, Executive Director Gregory Feifer, Tsutomu Kono, Trustee Katherine Roth Kono, Embassy of Japan Embassy of Japan in the USA 🌸 Education Counselor Hiroshi Ando.

07/24/2026

One of the best resources for an incoming Blakemore fellow is someone who has recently been in their shoes.

At our inaugural virtual Cohort Welcome, 2025–26 fellows Sophia Charles, currently studying in Taiwan, and Daniel Bargon, who completed his fellowship in Japan, shared practical advice and candid insights with the incoming cohort as they prepare for full-time, intensive language study and cultural immersion across East and Southeast Asia.

The welcome is only the beginning. Through our new mentorship initiative, every incoming fellow will be paired with a recent alum throughout their fellowship year.

We’re deeply grateful to Sophia, Daniel, and the alumni mentors helping the next cohort begin with greater confidence and connection.

05/13/2026

In 1939, our founder Thomas Blakemore traveled to Japan as a fellow with the Institute of Current World Affairs (ICWA), an experience that would shape his life’s work and ultimately inspire the creation of the Blakemore Foundation.

Today, that story comes full circle.

Building on more than three decades of investing in language fluency and regional expertise, we are delighted to announce the new Blakemore–ICWA Fellowship, a two-year partnership designed to develop the next generation of specialists in East and Southeast Asia, beginning with Japan.

The fellowship combines one year of intensive advanced language study with one year of independent field research, writing, and cultural immersion, bringing together the complementary strengths of both organizations.

We are honored to support Julia Walton, the inaugural Blakemore–ICWA Fellow, as she builds on her year of advanced Japanese language study through the Blakemore Foundation and begins her next chapter of independent research in Japan this fall.

What began with Thomas Blakemore’s ICWA fellowship nearly a century ago continues through a new generation of individuals whose work depends on deep language fluency, cultural insight, and regional expertise.

This partnership reflects Blakemore’s continuing commitment to creating innovative pathways for meaningful engagement across Asia.

Read the full announcement: https://bit.ly/Blakemore-ICWA

05/12/2026

Congratulations to Julia Walton, our inaugural Blakemore–ICWA Fellow, and to our colleagues at ICWA on this exciting new partnership.

We’re proud to see a connection that began with Thomas Blakemore’s own ICWA fellowship in Japan come full circle through a new generation of scholars.

05/09/2026

We are proud to share that Blakemore Foundation chair Mimi Gardner Gates has been awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon by the Emperor of Japan, recognizing her decades of leadership in introducing Japanese culture to the United States and strengthening cultural ties. Mimi’s vision continues to inspire the Blakemore community, opening doors to understanding other cultures through language and art. We celebrate this recognition of her extraordinary contributions.

04/30/2026

Meet our 2026-27 Blakemore Freeman Fellows, heading to Yokohama.

This fall, David Mendoza and Emma Jean Hermacinski will begin the 2026-27 academic year at the Inter-University Center for Japanese Language Studies. David is building toward a career as a Foreign Service Officer strengthening the U.S.-Japan alliance. Emma Jean is writing the English-language history of a pivotal moment in Japanese nation-building that has gone largely untold for decades. Both are doing work where Japanese fluency is essential.

They are a fitting close to a cohort that spans five countries, five languages, and careers across science, government, diplomacy, scholarship, and the arts. To every member of our 2026-27 cohort, congratulations. This fall, the real work begins, and we are honored to be part of it.

04/27/2026

Meet our 2026–27 Blakemore Freeman Fellow, heading to Vietnam.

Based in Ho Chi Minh City, Phong Hong will continue strengthening his Vietnamese while advancing his work on disease early warning systems. As a Senior Social Scientist at Oxford University’s Clinical Research Unit, his work depends on close coordination with local partners across Vietnam.

We can’t wait to see how this next stage of language study supports the impact of his work.

04/23/2026

Meet our 2026–27 Blakemore Fellow, heading to China.

Justin This will spend the year in Beijing at Tsinghua University’s Inter-University Program. His research examines how identity is expressed in online gaming communities, work that relies on understanding language as it is used in everyday digital spaces.

We look forward to seeing how this immersion deepens the insights driving his research.