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. It is one of the $2,000 JAVA Memorial Scholarships that will be awarded to a current undergraduate student. Application information can be found at the end of the article as well as on the JAVA website.
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. It is one of the $2,000 JAVA Memorial Scholarships that will be awarded to a current undergraduate student. Application information can be found at the end of the article as well as on the JAVA website.
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. Taubkin’s family].
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, and the 522nd Field Artillery Battalion; and descendants of Japanese American soldiers who served during World War II in other United States military units to include the Women’s Army Corps or Army Nurses Corps are eligible to apply for a JAVA Scholarship.
- Current members of JAVA whose membership began prior to April 1, 2023 are eligible to apply. Children of current JAVA members are also eligible to apply if the applicant’s parent or guardian was a member of JAVA prior to April 1, 2023.
- In addition, past or present Soldiers of the U.S. Army’s 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry Regiment are eligible and encouraged to apply for the U.S. Senator Daniel K. Inouye Memorial Scholarship. Also eligible are individuals enrolled in a college or university Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) or U.S. Marine Corps Platoon Leaders Course. Applicants should demonstrate their lifelong commitment to public and uniformed service leadership for the nation.
Applications:
- How to Apply for a JAVA Requirements: The policies, procedures and rules governing the JAVA Memorial Scholarship Program are available on the JAVA website at https://java-us.org. All applicants should read this overview before completing the application.
- Applications and supporting documents must be electronically submitted no later than 11:59 p.m. on April 30, 2026.
- Official transcripts and other documents may be sent to [email protected] and must be received no later than April 30, 2026.
- The subject line of the email should be “2026 Inouye Memorial Scholarship”, “2026 Ishio Founder’s Scholarship”, “2026 JAVA Legacy Scholarship”, or “2026 JAVA Memorial Scholarship” and the applicant’s name.
- Any application that is not received by the deadline or that fails to meet the submission requirements will NOT be considered. Applicants will be notified of the Scholarship Committee’s decision in early June 2026.
- Questions may be sent to [email protected].
Please review: 2026 JAVA Memorial Scholarship Program Overview
2026 U.S. Senator Daniel K. Inouye Memorial Scholarship.
2026 JAVA Ishio Founder’s Scholarship.