L. Jerold Adams Scholarship

The L. Jerold Adams Scholarship is available through the University of Central Missouri Alumni Foundation to assist with travel expenses for a full-time undergraduate student with a minimum GPA of 3.0 who is planning to study abroad in Japan or Asia. This scholarship is made possible by way of generous gifts from Ernestine Adams, Jerry’s wife, Laura and Stephen, his children, as well as many other family, friends, and former colleagues.

Jerry served as a missionary in Japan for 2 1/2 years from 1958 to 1961, where he learned Japanese and developed a deep appreciation for Japanese culture. This experience led him to earn a master’s and a Ph.D. in International Law from the University of Washington, focusing on Japanese government and politics, with the goal of becoming a college professor.

Jerry loved teaching and encouraged students to think critically. He was a Political Science professor and Chair of the Department of Political Science and Geography at Central Missouri State University (now UCM) from March 1972 until his retirement on May 31, 2002. He was also the first CMSU faculty member to teach at Kansai Gaidai University in Japan during a sabbatical and was recognized for his research on U.S./Japan relations. He urged students to study abroad in Japan, particularly at Kansai Gaidai, but travel costs were often prohibitive. Upon his death, Jerry’s family and friends established this scholarship to support students in overcoming this barrier.