Northern Michigan University’s 38th Sister City Scholarship student Chika Sawada of Higashiomi, Japan, presented NMU President Fritz Erickson with a handkerchief gift from her mayor. NMU offers an annual scholarship for a Higashiomi student to attend the university for one year. According to Sawada, the handkerchief gift exchange is a kind gesture on behalf of her mayor. It is done yearly as an act of thanks for the continued relationship between NMU and Higashiomi.  

Sawada described Higashiomi as being full of nature. She said that there are many maple trees and the biggest lake in Japan near where she lives.

Sawada has the opportunity to live in the dorms while at NMU. Many past Higashiomi scholars have elected to stay at NMU for additional years at their own expense.