Last December鈥檚 fall commencement ceremonies at the Yuengling Center celebrated more than 4,100 graduating students, including those from the (COPH).
They also recognized four distinguished individuals whose work has strengthened the college, the university and its global impact 鈥� including Dr. Mayumi Yamamoto, who received the USF Global Leadership Award.
鈥淚 am deeply honored to have received this prestigious award,鈥� Yamamoto said. 鈥淚 am currently serving as a visiting professor at the COPH and I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all the faculty and staff for their support.鈥�
Yamamoto is a physician and researcher specializing in endocrinology and metabolism, as well as health administration. Her research focuses on the prevention and management of non-communicable diseases. She earned her medical and doctoral degrees from Gifu University in Japan and completed her postdoctoral training at the University of South Florida (USF). She also holds an executive MBA for physicians from USF.
Currently, Yamamoto serves as a professor in the Health Administration Center and the United Graduate School of Drug Discovery and Medical Information Sciences at Gifu, and as a collaborative professor in the COPH.
Dr. Mayumi Yamamoto and Dean Sten Vermund at the Fall 2025 USF Commencement. (Photo courtesy of Vermund)
鈥淭hirty years ago, I arrived at USF as a postdoc fellow. Coming from Japan, a society that is largely homogenous, this diverse community was both inspiring and welcoming,鈥� she said. 鈥淯SF has become my alma mater. The days I spent studying under the warm Florida sunshine remain some of the brightest of my life, helping to shape both my worldview and my humanity.鈥�
Since graduating from USF in 1998, Yamamoto has made significant contributions to the development of a formal academic partnership between USF and Gifu. As a result of her ongoing efforts, the two universities signed an agreement between USF Health and the Gifu School of Medicine in 2016, followed by a student exchange agreement in 2018.
At present, five medical students from each university participate annually in short-term clinical and research training programs. In addition, between 20 and 40 undergraduate students from the COPH and the Judy Genshaft Honors College visit Gifu each year.
Building upon these initiatives, a university-wide agreement was signed in 2020 and was renewed in 2025.
Yamamoto has also played a key role in establishing student exchange agreements and promoting the Virtual Global Education Program. Through these continued efforts, she has greatly contributed to advancing academic collaboration and strengthening long-term educational and cultural ties between the two universities.
Reflecting on the meaning of global partnership, Yamamoto quoted Confucius: 鈥淗ow delightful it is when friends come from afar.鈥�
Story edited by Caitlin Keough, excerpts from USF Newsroom