Ms. Higuchi Aki had already known several Fulbrighters and knew about the Fulbright Program. However, she believed that Fulbright was out of her reach when she thought about studying abroad. Nonetheless, she applied for the Fulbright Program as she was inspired by the mission, developing future leaders and taking on the role to become a bridge between Japan and the United States.

"There is a phrase that I like,” she says with a smile.
"Start where you are, use what you have, and do what you can."
These words had an impact on her and had always encouraged her.

At the time Ms. Higuchi applied for the Fulbright Program, she was managing her company involved in the education field. She hired bilingual teachers with oversea experiences to secure high English quality education to children. However, she felt the need of partnership between the private and public sectors if she wanted to reach out and provide the service to more children. Therefore, she decided to go abroad and study the perspectives of the public sector. “Rather than thinking about how to create a business model, I was thinking about how the public and private sectors can work together to create a policy that incorporates learning opportunities into public education.”

She chose Harvard Kennedy School to study public policy, and many of the international students there were bureaucrats. The learning environment at Harvard, including those fellow students, greatly inspired her every day. She says, “It was the first time I had met so many people involved in policy-making, and it had a big impact on me. It made me want to be involved in public policy-making. I want to change education from the macro level.”

Ms. Higuchi used to have the habit of thinking in short-term when running the business; however, this turned around after studying abroad. She now thinks in longer terms, giving thought to the next 10-20 years to come. Being able to see and think in such way has given her a broader perspective. She stepped down from the managing director position (remaining as a board member), and is planning to focus and contribute in the field of public policy going forward.