Recently, Samara Mizutani Cesar, a graduate assistant with the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, was invited by Springfield Sister Cities Association to serve as a bridge between Isesaki, Japan and Springfield. During her trip, Samara was able to do the following:

• Pay a courtesy visit to the mayor of Isesaki (Springfield’s Japanese Sister City)
• Wear Japanese traditional clothes made in Isesaki
• Experience a traditional tea ceremony
• Participate in a Japanese festival and carry a mikoshi (portable Shinto shrine)
• Learn from Japanese gardeners about several traditional landscaping techniques and philosophies
• Visit Kyoto and Tokyo to learn about Japanese history and modern culture

Beyond participating in these cultural events and learning opportunities, Samara helped coordinate trip details and translated between Japanese- and English-speaking individuals to ensure all ran smoothly.

Samara graduated in 2022 with a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology, Bachelor of Science in Criminology and Criminal Justice, and a certificate in Medical Humanities. She is currently working with Professor Ethan Amidon on a major statewide study examining judicial decision making in the criminal courts. In addition, she serves as a part-time researcher with the Criminology Research Center at Ryukoku University in Japan.

We appreciate all that Samara does for our department and the university. (Samara is pictured with Paco Padilla, a musician from Mexico.)

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