Members of the Japanese Students Club pose in front of the clubhouse fireplace. The Japanese Students Club (JSC) was the precursor of the current UW Nikkei Alumni Association at the University of Washington. The JSC was started in the early 1920s. Japanese Americans were excluded from the Greek-system fraternities because of their Japanese ancestry. In response …

After World War II, the Japanese Students Club became known as SYNKOA to honor members who had died during the war. The first letters of the following members' last names make up the acronym: George T. Sawada, Frank M. Shigemura, George Yamaguchi, Hideo H. Yasui, Shigeo Yoshioka, William K. Nakamura, Ben Ninomiya, Jiro Kanetomi, Yoshio Kato, …

In 1925, twelve women formed the Fuyokai, which is Japanese for "Hibiscus Club." Their goal was to support Japanese American students and develop an understanding of "the highest ideals of Japan and America."

In fall 1947, women of Japanese ancestry started a new student group called Valeda ("wise women" in Greek). Like the Fuyokai, Valeda supported Japanese American women students and encouraged them to join other organizations on campus. Valeda participated in numerous projects on campus and in the community until it disbanded in 1965. Left to right: Setsuko …