Baylor Students Shine in Japanese Language Presentation Contest
Students from Baylor University’s Japanese language program in the College of Arts & Sciences have once again brought home major awards in a national competition designed to show off their skills.
J.LIVE (Japanese Learning Inspired Vision and Engagement) Talk is a Japanese language presentation contest, inspired by TED Talks, that gives both college and high school students the chance to demonstrate their communication skills and Japanese proficiency. The purpose of the contest, according to the event website, is to “promote the growth, advancement and visibility of Japanese language and culture education.”
In the finals of the College II category of the 10th annual J.LIVE Talk contest, held on Nov. 9, 2025, at George Washington University in Washington D.C., Elliott Fujinami, a senior biology major at Baylor, won the Silver Award and a $200 cash prize for his presentation “Discovering What Connects Us.” In the same category, Santiago Minjares, a senior anthropology major, won the Bronze Award and a $100 cash prize for his presentation “Empathy Through Culture.”
In addition to Fujinami and Minjares, semifinalists from Baylor included: William Jones, senior chemistry major, and Joshua Selvester, junior chemistry major (College I); Nicole Adams, junior history and political science major (College II); and Noe Baker, junior biology major (College III).
“This is a great achievement because it is very difficult even for one student to qualify for this contest, but two students from Baylor made it to the finals this year,” said Dr. Yuko Prefume, a senior lecturer in Japanese in Baylor’s Department of Modern Languages and Cultures. “Since our students have often been selected as finalists, the contest organizers now recognize that Baylor has a strong Japanese program.”
Prefume, who helps prepare Baylor students for the contest each year, said she is proud of their hard work and dedication.
“What makes this even more special is that while all students in our Advanced I Japanese course, JPN3301, participated in the preliminary round as part of their coursework, those who advanced to the final rounds prepared their PowerPoint presentations and speeches independently, outside of their regular class requirements," she said.
Competition in J.LIVE Talk has proved useful in recruiting students into Baylor’s Japanese language programs.
“This event gives me a great opportunity to meet high-achieving high school students who are learning Japanese,” Prefume said. “This year, I met some outstanding students and invited them to visit Baylor. I really hope they’ll consider applying to our school in the future."
ABOUT THE COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES AT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
The College of Arts & Sciences is Baylor University’s largest academic division, consisting of 25 academic departments in the sciences, humanities, fine arts and social sciences, as well as 11 academic centers and institutes. The more than 5,000 courses taught in the College span topics from art and theatre to religion, philosophy, sociology and the natural sciences. The College’s undergraduate Unified Core Curriculum, which routinely receives top grades in national assessments, emphasizes a liberal education characterized by critical thinking, communication, civic engagement and Christian commitment. Arts & Sciences faculty conduct research around the world, and research on the undergraduate and graduate level is prevalent throughout all disciplines. Visit the College of Arts & Sciences website.