Kiyoko Tsuboi Taubkin Legacy Scholarship 

a JAVA Memorial Scholarship for an undergraduate student

JAVA is profiling the sacrifices and contributions made by the men and women that our JAVA Memorial Scholarship program honors. Today's issue features the Kiyoko Tsuboi Taubkin Legacy Scholarship, a tribute to Mrs. Kiyoko Tsuboi Taubkin, a longtime supporter of JAVA. This $2,000 scholarship will be awarded to a current undergraduate student who has completed at least one year of college/university and will be attending a 4-year college or university in the fall. Application information can be found at the end of the article as well as on the JAVA website.   

Kiyoko Tsuboi Taubkin, JAVA Benefactor

Kiyoko Tsuboi Taubkin was born in Portland, Oregon, on November 20, 1917, to Masaichi Tsuboi and Yukino Omori, and was one of five children. She graduated from St. Helens Hall (now Oregon Episcopal School) and the University of Oregon. In 1938, she traveled to Japan to study and work, and returned to the United States in 1940. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, she and her family were relocated to the Minidoka internment camp in Idaho. Because of Kiyoko's language skills, she was able to leave the camp to work in Ann Arbor, Michigan, to assist in Japanese language training to support the war effort.

In 1948, Kiyoko moved to New York where she worked in the New York office of the Register and Tribune Syndicate until she met her future husband, Irvin, and they married in 1964.   

Mr. Taubkin retired as the Director of Public Relations of the New York Times newspaper in 1971. During WW II, Mr. Taubkin served in the Army as a reporter and copy editor for the London edition of Stars and Stripes, a U.S. Army daily newspaper.  After he passed away, Kiyoko returned in 2004 to Portland where she spent the remainder of her life.    

Mrs. Taubkin admired the Nisei who volunteered to serve in combat to prove their loyalty. She valued their courage, their patriotism, and the role they played to help their nation win the War. With the vision of helping to perpetuate the legacy of the Japanese American contribution to America during World War II, Mrs. Taubkin made a significant donation to JAVA in 2009. She was presented with JAVA’s highest award, the Courage, Honor, Patriotism plaque for outstanding service to the community.

[Ed Note: Mrs. Taubkin also donated a personal collection of kimonos to the Oregon Nikkei Endowment. The following link references the collection and has background on Mrs. Tabkin's family - https://www.willametteheritage.org/assets/News_2012/Kimono_Kiyoko_Tsuboi%20_Taubkin.pdf].

JAVA Scholarship Eligibility and Applications

Eligibility:

  • Descendants of those who served in the 100th Infantry Battalion, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, the Military Intelligence Service, the 1399th Engineer Construction Battalion, 522nd Field Artillery Battalion or descendants of Japanese American soldiers who served during World War II other United States military units, including the Women’s Army Corps or Army Nurses Corps are eligible and encouraged to apply. 
  • Current members of JAVA whose membership began prior to April 1, 2022, are eligible and encouraged to apply. Children of current JAVA members are also eligible and encouraged to apply if the applicant’s parent or guardian was a member of JAVA prior to April 1, 2022. 
  • Past or present members of the Army’s 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry Regiment, ROTC, or U.S. Marine Corps Platoon Leaders Course are eligible and encouraged to apply for the Senator Daniel K. Inouye Memorial Scholarship. Applicants should demonstrate their lifelong commitment to uniformed service and public leadership for the nation.

 

Applications:

  • Applicants should first review published rules and forms.
  • Applications and supporting documents must be electronically submitted no later than 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, April 30, 2024, to javascholarship222@gmail.com. Applications not received by that date or that fail to meet the submission requirements will NOT be considered. Applicants will be notified of a decision by early June 2024.
  • Awards will be presented at a JAVA scholarship awards ceremony in July 2024. 


    2024 JAVA Memorial Scholarship Program Overview here.

    2024 U.S. Senator Daniel K. Inouye Memorial Scholarship here.

    2024 Ishio Founder's Scholarship here.

    2024 Kiyoko Tsuboi Taubkin Legacy Scholarship here.

    2024 JAVA Memorial Scholarships here.


    Questions or Suggestions: Please contact Antoinette Phelps, at javapotomac@gmail.com.

    Japanese American Veterans Association:  Address: P.O. Box 341198, Bethesda, MD 20827 I 

    https://java-us.org

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