Kumamoto-Mansfield Lecture Series: All Eight Lectures Successfully Concluded
Kumamoto University, in collaboration with the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation (hereafter, the Mansfield Foundation), held the Kumamoto-Mansfield Lecture Series, successfully concluding all eight lectures.
In this lecture series, we invited U.S. federal government officials currently serving in Japan through the Mansfield Foundation’s fellowship program, as well as former Fellows of the program, as guest speakers. From a practitioner’s perspective, the speakers delivered lectures on international affairs and policy issues. The series provided students with a valuable opportunity to learn from professionals working on the front lines of the international arena and to gain essential insights for pursuing careers in global fields.
In the latter half of the series, Session 5 featured Mr. Mark Jamias and Mr. Robert Everman; Session 6 featured Ms. Nicole Ibrahim and Mr. Stephen Money; and Session 7 featured Mr. James Miller, a former Fellow. In Session 8, the students looked back on the lectures delivered to date and gave presentations on what they had learned and how they plan to apply those insights in the future.
The lectures were held in a hybrid format, attracting a wide range of participants, including not only Kumamoto University students but also faculty and staff members and members of the public. All the speakers delivered inspiring and passionate talks, sharing career development advice for international fields based on their career paths as well as expressing their expectations for the younger generation. The lectures were followed by lively Q&A sessions, making them highly engaging and well received.
In addition, many local community members joined the “Mansfield Café,” exchange events featuring the speakers from Sessions 5 and 6, and enjoyed conversations with the U.S. federal government officials—an opportunity rarely available. Furthermore, a “Meet & Greet” session was held in conjunction with Session 5, where Kumamoto University students and the guest speakers engaged in informal discussions on a wide range of topics, deepening mutual understanding.
Kumamoto University plans to continue the Kumamoto-Mansfield Lecture Series in AY 2026, offering valuable opportunities for international engagement—not only to broaden the global outlook of our students but also to serve the rapidly globalizing communities in our region. The schedule will be announced on the University’s official website and Instagram.
In this lecture series, we invited U.S. federal government officials currently serving in Japan through the Mansfield Foundation’s fellowship program, as well as former Fellows of the program, as guest speakers. From a practitioner’s perspective, the speakers delivered lectures on international affairs and policy issues. The series provided students with a valuable opportunity to learn from professionals working on the front lines of the international arena and to gain essential insights for pursuing careers in global fields.
In the latter half of the series, Session 5 featured Mr. Mark Jamias and Mr. Robert Everman; Session 6 featured Ms. Nicole Ibrahim and Mr. Stephen Money; and Session 7 featured Mr. James Miller, a former Fellow. In Session 8, the students looked back on the lectures delivered to date and gave presentations on what they had learned and how they plan to apply those insights in the future.
The lectures were held in a hybrid format, attracting a wide range of participants, including not only Kumamoto University students but also faculty and staff members and members of the public. All the speakers delivered inspiring and passionate talks, sharing career development advice for international fields based on their career paths as well as expressing their expectations for the younger generation. The lectures were followed by lively Q&A sessions, making them highly engaging and well received.
In addition, many local community members joined the “Mansfield Café,” exchange events featuring the speakers from Sessions 5 and 6, and enjoyed conversations with the U.S. federal government officials—an opportunity rarely available. Furthermore, a “Meet & Greet” session was held in conjunction with Session 5, where Kumamoto University students and the guest speakers engaged in informal discussions on a wide range of topics, deepening mutual understanding.
Kumamoto University plans to continue the Kumamoto-Mansfield Lecture Series in AY 2026, offering valuable opportunities for international engagement—not only to broaden the global outlook of our students but also to serve the rapidly globalizing communities in our region. The schedule will be announced on the University’s official website and Instagram.
Scenes from the Lectures
Q&A Session
Students Giving a Presentation
Meet & Greet
Q&A Session
Students Giving a Presentation
Meet & Greet