Philanthropist and Benefactor
The Nakayama Public Service Scholars Program was established in 2021 through the generosity of Yukio and Toshiko Nakayama. Yukio Nakayama was born in Tacoma, Washington, on June 17, 1919, attended Duke University on a scholarship, and graduated in 1941 with a B.A. in economics. He went on to graduate from Columbia University in New York with a masters in public law and government. Mr. Nakayama served his country well during World War II in the Army. After the war, he worked as a Director of Weapons Program Evacuation and Management Systems, Naval Ordinance Systems Command. Mr. Nakayama was known for helping young people further their education. He passed away at the age of 90 on April 4, 2010. After Mrs. Nakayama's passing in 2013 at the age of 93, their estate helped to establish three endowments at Duke University, including a scholarship endowment at Trinity Arts & Sciences.