During World War II, 120,000 Japanese Americans – two thirds of them American citizens – were detained in concentration camps by the U.S. War Relocation Authority. They had committed no crime, had no recourse, and experienced considerable trauma. About 4,000 of these prisoners were granted early release from the camps to attend colleges in the Midwest and further east. This is the story of 21 of these students who came to St. Kate’s during the war and its aftermath. Encouraged by the Sisters of St. Joseph, these young women worked with enthusiasm and resolve toward baccalaureate degrees, nursing credentials, and teaching certificates. Drawing on archival research, oral histories, and other resources, this presentation traces many of these students from their original homes on the West Coast, to the camps, to St. Kate’s, and beyond, with the intent of localizing the story. Dr. Hui Wilcox (Professor of Sociology, Women's Studies, and Critical Studies of Race and Ethnicity) was a respondent who provided additional context.