Luce ScholarsProgram

PROGRAM GOALS

The Luce Scholars Program is a nationally competitive fellow-ship program that represents a major effort to provide anawareness of Asia among potential leaders in American society.The program is unique among American-Asian exchanges inthat it targets highly qualified young Americans - under theage of 29 - across a variety of professional fields, including butnot limited to the arts, journalism, law, medicine, science,public health, environmental studies, and international rela-tions, who have had limited experience of Asia and who mightnot otherwise have an opportunity in the course of theircareers to come to know Asia. Since the beginning of the pro-gram, the Luce Foundation has believed that the young leaderswill gain a personal understanding and appreciation of the cul-tures and societies of Asia through the workplace and everydayliving, and “their broadened insights can have a significantimpact on the course of America’s future relations with Asiaand on American cultural, intellectual, and political develop-ment.” The year-long program for up to 18 scholars annuallyprovides stipends, language training, and a professional place-ment arranged for each Scholar on the basis of their profes-sional interest, background, and qualifications.

Of the nearly 700 Luce Scholar alumni, many have gone onto demonstrate extraordinary and visionary leadership intheir personal and professional careers, their ranks includingPulitzer Prize-winning journalists, authors and artists, theworld’s first female fetal surgeon, the recent president of theWorld Bank, U.S. Ambassadors and senior government offi-

cials, and recognized leaders and innovators across the private,public, and not-for-profit sectors. Over these four decades,what has remained consistent is the dedicated commitmentof the staff of the Luce Foundation and The Asia Foundationin working together to identify, guide, and support generationsof creative spirits and inspired talents. The range of organiza-tions that have hosted Luce Scholars over the years reflects thedynamism of Asia, and is as broad as the scope of talents andinterests of the scholars themselves. In recent years, LuceScholars have:

• Worked for The Caravan, India’s first and only publica-tion devoted to narrative journalism, in New Delhi

• Developed new technologies to create transgenic organ-isms at the RIKEN Kobe Center for DevelopmentBiology in Japan

• Contributed to the local engagement efforts ofBuddhism for Social Development Action, in KampongCham, Cambodia

• Worked to support social innovation and entrepreneurswith the Non-Profit Incubator in Shanghai, China;

• Studied regional marine conservation issues at the CoralTriangle Institute in Sanur, Bali in Indonesia;

• Worked in the BioRobotics Laboratory of the School ofMechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Seoul NationalUniversity

• Examined the impacts of climate change with theDepartment of Ecology at the National University onMongolia in Ulaanbaatar

THE LUCE FOUNDATION’S ROLE

The Luce Foundation identifies Luce Scholarsthrough a rigorous and highly competitivenationwide selection process. Eligible individu-als apply each fall through one of over 75nominating institutions, which includeAmerica’s leading colleges and universities. The nominating institutions submit the names of up to two applicants to the LuceFoundation, which interviews each applicantpersonally. Finalists meet with a selection panelof senior professionals, well-known in theirfields and knowledgeable about Asia. Theseselectors—including accomplished Luce Scholaralumni—choose up to 18 Luce Scholars whowill participate in the following year’s program. Inthis process, the Luce Foundation seeks scholars whohave the character and flexibility to adapt to a newenvironment and the potential to use the knowledgethey gain during the program as a resource for futureleadership. In addition to managing the selection ofthe Luce Scholars, the Luce Foundation providesfinancial support for the travel and living costs of theplacements in Asia.

THE ASIA FOUNDATION’S ROLE

The Asia Foundation is responsible for administer-ing the Asian portion of the program, and support-ing and advising the Luce Scholars while they are inAsia. The heart of the year-long program continuesto lie in the organizational placements arranged byThe Asia Foundation for each Scholar on the basisof their individual career interests and experience.Individually tailored through discussions with TheAsia Foundation, the primary responsibility of ahost organization is to provide a productive worksetting for the Luce Scholar. Host organizationsassign responsibilities to ensure that the Scholarcontributes professionally to the organization’s mission, and identify a mentor or supervisor whooversees the scholar’s work and helps the Scholarlearn about the organization and its role in the community. The Asia Foundation is uniquelyequipped to implement these responsibilities withits network of 18 Asian offices and extraordinarynetwork of relationships and knowledge of institu-tions and organizations gained through 60 years ofwork across Asia.

THE “LUCE SCHOLAR YEAR”

Each year Luce Scholar candidates are nominated by75 colleges and universities. Successful candidatesshould have a record of high achievement, outstand-ing leadership ability, and clearly defined interests

with evidence of potential for professional accom-plishments. After two rounds of one-on-one inter-views, the new class of Luce Scholars is announcedin February. The Luce Scholar year is launched inJune with a general orientation in New York Cityand San Francisco, covering Asian political historyand culture and a specific briefing on each scholar’splacement locale. Scholars then travel to Asia forintensive language study for a few months prior tostart working with their host organization in earlySeptember. An early assessment meeting for all LuceScholars is held in Thailand at the end of Octoberto continue the orientation process and discussexperiences and challenges in adjusting to living andworking in Asia. An extended “Focus Country”wrap-up meeting takes places in July to concludethe Luce Scholar year, where the Scholars have theopportunity to present their reflections gained fromtheir year of exploration and discovery in Asia.

THE HENRY LUCE FOUNDATION

The Henry Luce Foundation was established in1936 by Henry Luce, the co-founder and editor-in-chief of Time Inc., to honor his parents who weremissionary educators in China. The Foundationbuilds upon the vision and values of four genera-tions of the Luce family: broadening knowledge andencouraging the highest standards of service andleadership.

THE ASIA FOUNDATION

The Asia Foundation is a nonprofit internationaldevelopment organization committed to improvinglives across a dynamic and developing Asia.Informed by six decades of experience and deeplocal expertise, our programs address critical issuesaffecting Asia in the 21st century—governance andlaw, economic development , women’s empowerment,environment, and regional cooperation.

03/2014

Cambodia

China

Hong Kong

India

Indonesia

Japan

Laos

Malaysia

Mongolia

Philippines

Singapore

South Korea

Taiwan

Thailand

Vietnam

LUCE SCHOLAR

PROGRAM

DESTINATIONS

HEADQUARTERS465 California Street, 9th FloorSan Francisco, CA 94104 USATel: (415) 982-4640Fax: (415) 392-8863info@asiafound.org

WASHINGTON, DC1779 Massachusetts Ave.,NWSuite 815Washington, D.C. 20036 USATel: (202) 588-9420Fax: (202) 588-9409info@asiafound-dc.org

www.asiafoundation.org