Sacred Heart Grad Manya Kothari Awarded JCIS Scholarship
LUJ is proud to announce that Manya Kothari, a graduate of the International School of the Sacred Heart in Tokyo, has been awarded a Tier I JCIS (Japan Council of International Schools) scholarship. She will be attending LUJ in the fall and plans to pursue international business.
Go here to learn more about the JCIS Scholarship offered by LUJ.
Kothari’s time at Sacred Heart was busy yet fulfilling. As she described in her essay, being a part of the JV and Varsity debate teams helped to forge her character: “As a debater I learned to listen carefully, think critically, and speak persuasively. But beyond this, debate taught me how to be empathetic.”
It was the debate team that helped her understand the perspective of the other side, putting herself in their shoes.
Also at Sacred Heart, Kothari joined the MUN program, or Model United Nations. “Representing different countries and debating with students from diverse backgrounds helped me appreciate the diversity and international mindedness of the world.” In addition, the MUN program “made me a more social and talkative person. It also gave me the opportunity to discuss major topics like climate change, gender inequality, and international business.”
Kothari also found time to be a part of Sacred Heart’s award-winning choir, where she “found peace.” As an alto, Kothari performed with other classmates at concerts and other schools, enjoying the “beautiful sound” the choir achieved as one.
Kothari’s parents are Indian. “My father came to Japan when he was young; he had a job waiting for him.” She has an older and younger sister, and believes her mother to be her greatest influence. “She’s always there for me and supports my goals.” One line of wisdom she remembers her mother saying is: “It always takes a little extra to be extraordinary.”
Kothari’s extraordinary journey may include starting her own fashion business, a dream she considers when imagining her life five years from now. “I’d focus on summer clothes,” she says, hoping also to one day continue her studies in the United States, preferably near a beach.
Amidst all these plans, Kothari also finds time to go scuba diving in the summer with her older sister. “I’ve been swimming since I was 5,” she says. “I’m really into it.”
For Kothari, the building blocks for her hopes and dreams began at Sacred Heart. “I am grateful for all the opportunities I had in my high school, and I hope to continue building on them in the future.”
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