Pohnpeian earns graduate degree at Sophia University in Tokyo

Ludwig

TOKYO, Japan—Annette Rose Ludwig of the Federated States of Micronesia recently became the sixth Micronesian to earn a master’s degree in Global Environment Studies from Sophia University’s Graduate School of Environmental Studies in Tokyo.

Ludwig, who is from Pohnpei, graduated in March. She was a research assistant at the Herbarium of the University of Guam before she began her graduate studies.

Ludwig attended Sophia University, one of Japan’s top research universities, on a highly competitive full-ride scholarship for citizens of the FSM, Palau, and the Marshall Islands. The scholarship is offered by the Micronesia Conservation Trust, Sophia University, and the Association for Promotion of International Cooperation, a private foundation in Tokyo. Ludwig is one of nine Micronesians who have been awarded the scholarship to Sophia University. The scholarship supports training Micronesians for regional environmental leadership roles.

“[MCT], Sophia University, [APIC] and partners of the Micronesia Challenge are extremely proud of Annette,” said William Kostka, executive director of MCT.

Sophia University provides full tuition scholarships, while APIC covers travel and room and board expenses. MCT, through the Bill Raynor Micronesia Challenge Scholarship Program, covers the cost of internships for the scholarship students, which includes bringing them back home during their breaks to work with their host institutions and mentors. This allows the students to stay close to their local partners, which has resulted in 100% of the graduates returning to lead programs on each of their islands.

Ludwig, who was raised in Fiji, did an internship with the Pohnpei State Forestry in 2020 while in graduate school. During the internship, she was able to conduct research that sparked her interest in land-use change in Pohnpei. Her master’s thesis focused on current agricultural practices on Pohnpei and the effects of sakau production in watershed areas. Sakau is also known as kava, ava and yaqona in other parts of the Pacific. Ludwig hopes to return to Pohnpei to continue working with Pohnpei State and the communities with their forestry management programs.

While she studied in Tokyo, Ludwig was active in the off-campus New Hope Christian Fellowship and a Christian circle at Sophia University. She was also passionate about learning the Japanese language. Ludwig joined a weekly Japanese course held at APIC’s office next to Sophia and studied hard to develop her language skills. In addition to classroom work, the language students participated in trips to Mt. Takao near Tokyo as leaves were changing colors in autumn, and enjoyed Christmas light displays in the popular Shibuya neighborhood. (PR)