The Marshall University Foundation has announced The Dr. Kazuko Otaki Thornton International Student Scholarship. The scholarship is generously endowed by Thornton, a 1967 graduate of Marshall University.
Thornton, who grew up in a post-World War II Japan, said she decided to establish the scholarship because of scholarship aid she received as a sophomore at Marshall.
“It was very expensive for me to study in this country, but I was fortunate to be able to manage with the help of my family and a Marshall University scholarship,” Thornton said. “I decided to establish this scholarship for two reasons. One, to express my gratitude to Marshall University for their financial assistance, as well as for the excellent education I received from caring and thoughtful faculty members; and two, to share my belief that both international students and Marshall students would enrich their own educational and cultural experiences through their daily interactions.”
Thornton studied Spanish and French at Marshall. She later received a master’s degree in 1969 and a Ph.D. in 1979, both from Michigan State University. She went on to have a long career in education with East Lansing Public Schools in Michigan, teaching Spanish, history, English and ESL, as well as serving as a curriculum coordinator and building administrator. She also taught as an adjunct professor in master’s-level teacher education courses at Michigan State.
The recipients of The Dr. Kazuko Otaki Thornton International Student Scholarship will be full-time students who are residents of an international country and have financial need per the standards of the Office of Student Financial Assistance.
The award is nonrenewable to allow new incoming students to be chosen each year and for up to four students to be recipients at one time. The chief enrollment officer and vice president of enrollment management, or their designee, will select the recipients.
For information regarding The Dr. Kazuko Otaki Thornton International Student Scholarship, please contact Marshall University’s Office of Student Financial Assistance at (304) 696-3162.