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I-House Times Fall 2012

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Tsunami Survivors Experience I-House I-House welcomed three hundred high-school students from the Tohoku region of Japan this summer. The students were participants in the Tomodachi (Friendship) Initiative sponsored by Cal alum and Softbank CEO, Masayoshi Son, designed to equip Japanese youth, deeply impacted by the 2011 tsunami, with skills to "thrive and make a difference." Under the Dome: Fall 2012 Residents See current residents in "We Are I-House" photo mosaic, page 9! Facts about this year's residents: • 590 residents represent 62 countries • 43% Women / 57% Men • 73% are international students, 27% are from the U.S.A. The three-week intensive program, based at UC Berkeley, included both an I-House based social dance and an afternoon program centered on an interview, slide presentation and dance performance of I-House Board member Yoshi Akiba (IH 1973). Ms. Akiba rose from a Japanese orphanage to gain international renown as a U.S.-based restaurateur, jazz club owner, local dance performer and proponent of cultural education and exchange, including workshops in tea ceremony, meditation and Ikebana flower-arranging for local school children. Consistent with the title of Ms. Akiba's autobiography, We Can Do It! The afternoon proved an inspiration for the students, some of whom said they aspire to return to Cal in later years - perhaps even as future residents of I-House! n Yoshi Akiba (IH 1973) Longtime Neighbor, New Splendor: Stadium Re-Opens Memorial Stadium was built in 1923, seven years prior to I-House's opening next door. Generations of I-House residents would be hard pressed to recognize the new stadium, however, after a $300M+ renovation has transformed 300,000 square feet of program space. Dramatic improvements for both athletes and fans abound, with a new athletic training center on lower levels and expanded walkways, more restrooms and concession areas, and a seismic upgrade throughout, all made possible through 50,000 cubic feet of concrete and 14 million pounds of steel reinforcement. The stadium re-opened in September, 2012 with special game-time ceremonies throughout the fall, including a presentation to Cal's Olympic Athletes made by Leon Panetta on October 6th. The first two games of the season were broadcast on a new Pac-12 television channel and 200 tickets to each game were distributed to I-House residents, many of whom have weathered years of construction noise as the project progressed. In addition to other improvements, the playing field surface was lowered four feet to improve sightlines for fans in lower rows. Aluminum bleachers replaced wood seats, portions of which were re-purposed in paneling of the new Hall of Fame. Find out more at stadium.berkeley.edu. Go Bears! n IH Board member, NBC Anchor and Haas lecturer, Diane Dwyer led Japanese student guests in a "Go Bears!" cheer • 40% Graduate • 11% Visiting Scholar/Post Doc • 49% Undergraduate • Average Age is 23 (range 18-56) TOP 12 COUNTRIES OF RESIDENTS: USA Korea 160 67 Germany 36 Japan 33 China 31 France 26 Asia Africa Middle East India 21 Norway 18 UK Australia 14 Italy Brazil 14 12 ADDITIONAL AREAS/CONTINENTS: Europe 52 33 16 10 South & Central Americas 13 North America (non USA) Oceania 13 5 TOP TEN MAjORS/AREAS OF STUDy: Law Economics Business Administration Mechanical Engineering Political Science Industrial Engineering & Operations Research Civil & Environmental Engineering Electrical Engineering & Computer Sciences Mathematics Physics 62 46 40 30 27 24 20 19 19 18 FINANCIAL AID: • 37 students receive room and board aid (21 international/16 U.S.A.) • Average support: $5,029 • 9 additional "Gateway" full scholarships (paired with tuition) International House Times 3 16

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