Bridging Scholar Alumn Awarded 2025 Commendation from Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs

Bridging Scholar alum Sam Bett (University of Massachusetts–Amherst / Kwansei Gakuin, 2007–2008) has received a 2025 commendation from Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs for his outstanding work in literary translation.

His work was recently highlighted in The Japan Times, and the official commendation appears in the Agency for Cultural Affairs announcement. Learn more about Sam and his translations at: https://www.sambett.net/

Sam shared: “Receiving a Bridging Scholarship as a college student gave me a boost that I still feel today. I hope that this achievement underscores my gratitude for the support the foundation gave me at the start of my career.”

Read the article in The Japan Times here.