We're so amazed to have already raised over $3,000 towards our goal! Our friend from Sendai City in Japan, Ms. Misa Oyama, recorded a special message for everyone.

An Economics major at Tohoku University, Misa came to the U.S. in 2013 through a Japanese government exchange program called Kizuna Project, an international internship program for Japanese university students affected by the March 2011 disaster.

Together with other Kizuna Project students, Misa gave presentations in New York City and Chicago about the March 2011 disaster and the ongoing recovery of the Tohoku region. These experiences allowed her to create lasting kizuna-- bonds-- between Tohoku and the U.S. communities she encountered. Now, she is working with students and staff in the Terps to Tohoku program to help create a strong kizuna between Tohoku and Maryland.

Thanks to your support, we are one step closer to meeting Misa and her classmates at Tohoku University! Please help us continue to spread the word about our program-- we still have a long way to go. ありがとうございます！ 

Dear Terps to Tohoku friends and supporters,

We're so thankful for your outpouring of support to help send us to Japan to learn about disaster recovery!

So far, we have raised over $5,000, which is 50% of our $10,000 goal.  With only 2 days remaining in our campaign, we need you more than ever to help us spread the word about our program.

We're excited to report that we've received approval to participate in the Public Forum of the United Nations World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction during our time in Sendai, Japan.  This will be a remarkable opportunity for us to meet with and learn from Japanese and international individuals and organizations involved in disaster recovery and risk reduction.

Thanks to your support, 19 incredibly talented and diverse University of Maryland undergraduates will have this kind of once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Here are some things you might not know about us:

- Over 80% of us are students of color: 42% Asian, 26% black/African-American, 15% of other non-white races.

- 30% of us are applying for our first passport to participate in this program.

- Between the 19 of us, we represent 24 majors and minors, such as: Accounting; Agriculture; Animal Sciences; Biochemistry; Business; Chemical Engineering; Criminal Justice; Economics; English; Government & Politics; History; Japanese; Journalism; Psychology; and Sociology.

Although 1 week in Japan might not seem like a lot, this program can make a lasting impact on our lives and careers. Thank you for believing in us, and for sharing about our cause!

With gratitude,

--Terps to Tohoku students & staff