Meet Yumejichi Fujita ’26

Where are you from and what is your background?
I am from Japan, where I studied agricultural science in my undergraduate and first master’s degree. I then joined a car parts company as a regulatory affairs specialist for four and a half years. I was always interested in problem solving with computational skills and was interested in making products, especially software. I was assigned to a software development department, working on adaptive and auto high beam systems for cars. Though the software development was fun, I found myself lacking some knowledge, so I decided to go back to school and learn from the beginning.

Why did you apply for this graduate program and decide to study at USF?
I did not major in computer science at my first university. I was attracted to USF's Computer Science Bridge program because of its solid education for those from non-computer science backgrounds. The software industry and market in in San Francisco is also a big reason for me to choose USF.

What impacts has the Dean's Scholarship had on your ability to further your studies?
It really helped me with my tuition and motivated me to study harder. As an international student, living in San Francisco can be expensive and with this scholarship, I could focus on my studies without worrying about the money.

What are your career ambitions?
I want to be a solid, well-skilled software engineer after graduation. I hope in my future career, I can contribute to products that can improve people's lives and make this world better.

What is something unique or interesting about you?
Although I grew up in Japan, I spent my high school years in China. Having limited fluency in Mandarin, and having come from a different cultural background, it was initially a challenge for me to communicate. But rather than expecting others to see the world through my eyes, I dedicated myself to taking in my new friends’ perspectives. It took some time but I was able to adapt to this new, unique environment and culture, and my life has been richer because of it. This experience has taught me how to appreciate the different ways people can see the same things, and the common factors we all need to thrive.