Allisonian Firsts: Teruko Komyo

Teruko Komyo was born on June 20th, 1911 and was originally from Azabu, Tokyo, Japan. Better known as “Terry” to her classmates, Komyo came to Mount Allison through United Church connections in the fall of 1934. While in attendance, she took an active part in campus life and was involved with the Women's Administrative Council and the Student Christian Movement, serving as its Vice-President in 1936-1937. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1937, becoming the first Asian woman to graduate from Mount Allison (and possibly the first woman of colour). After graduation she returned to Japan and taught at that Azabu Girls School.  In 1947, she was teaching at the Tokyo Joshi Daigaku. She returned to North America to undertake further study at Columbia University in New York.  She earned her MA in Education Administration in 1949.  Komyo returned to Japan to teach and went on to have a distinguished career in education ultimately serving as the President of Toyo Eiwa Jogakuin (Junior College) in Tokyo. In 1954, she was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws (LLD) from Mount Allison University on the 100th anniversary of the education of women at Mount Allison.  She was also actively involved in the YWCA movement in Japan.  She was elected as the president of the organization at the Triennial convention held on 2 November 1961.