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What have you been up to since graduating from º£½ÇÖ±²¥?

At º£½ÇÖ±²¥, I majored in biology with a focus in ecology, evolution, and marine biology, and I completed the minor requirements for both history and Japanese. During my senior year, I specifically sought out post-graduation opportunities where I could combine my interests in language and science, using my Japanese as much as possible while gaining additional research experience. Since June, I have been working as a research intern studying the evolution of coral reef fish at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) in Okinawa, Japan. As OIST is a very international university, I often act as a translator between American members of my lab, local Okinawan people, and other scientists, while also reviewing scientific literature in Japanese. I plan to continue my internship here through next summer before transitioning into a PhD program in coral biology and coral reef ecology.

Why Japanese studies?

I had a lot of exposure to Japanese language and culture during my childhood. My dad worked for All Nippon Airways for many years, so I was fortunate to have the opportunity to visit various places around Japan while growing up. Those experiences, combined with hosting a visiting student from Japan for two years, laid a strong foundation for my interest in studying the language. I began taking Japanese classes through a program offered at my high school in ninth grade, and by graduation, I was committed to continuing my studies in college. Although I had already planned to take Japanese courses at º£½ÇÖ±²¥, I was further motivated by the encouragement of excellent professors and the incredible camaraderie of the Japanese Student Association.

I became close friends with classmates and locals alike while spending a semester abroad at Dōshisha University in Kyōto during the spring of my junior year. Additionally, being able to communicate in Japanese has given me a much deeper appreciation for the nation’s unique culture and history, which in turn has influenced the way I approach research, writing, and more.

Are there any classes, professors, or experiences that had a lasting impact on you?

Aridome Sensei and Morita Sensei were my two primary Japanese instructors at º£½ÇÖ±²¥. I can’t thank them enough for their patience, kindness, and mentorship throughout my language studies. Their dedication to my success, as well as to that of their other students, made them incredible professors and friends, both inside and outside the classroom.

Spending a semester studying abroad in Kyōto was also extremely pivotal in my development as a Japanese language student. The classes and faculty of the Kyoto Consortium for Japanese Studies (KCJS) program at Dōshisha University improved my language skills dramatically in just a few months. Outside of class, I spent each day exploring the thousands of temples and shrines throughout the ancient capital, striking up conversations with locals in passing, at restaurants, and while riding public transit. From taking in a mountaintop view of Arashiyama’s bamboo forests with an elderly hiker to exploring Nara’s plum trees in full bloom with a Kyōto-based soba chef, I will never forget the adventures of that semester.

What advice would you give to current students or recent graduates interested in your field?

While at º£½ÇÖ±²¥, involve yourself with the Japanese Student Association as much as possible by attending weekly language table dinners, social gatherings, and program events like karaoke nights, mochi-making, and tea ceremony club meetings (Sadō). Plan a semester abroad in Kyōto or elsewhere in Japan to expand your horizons, strengthen your language skills, and build friendships with new people.

The study of foreign languages, and Japanese specifically, has the potential to open many doors that may not be obvious before finishing undergrad. If you have strong interests in biology or other areas, seek out opportunities to pair language with those fields of study. Consult with your professors and peers. Those opportunities will present themselves, either in the States, in Japan, or elsewhere.

What have you been up to since graduating from º£½ÇÖ±²¥?

Funny you should ask how the Japanese department at º£½ÇÖ±²¥ has shaped me, because I’m currently living in Tokyo! Right after º£½ÇÖ±²¥, I worked as a dermatology medical assistant in my hometown for six months to gain clinical experience. Since then, I’ve been studying full-time at a Japanese language school in Tokyo. Next month, I’ll begin my master’s research at Waseda University’s School of Advanced Science and Engineering in the Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience as a MEXT scholar. The Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) will support my studies with a monthly stipend for the next two and a half years. Looking ahead, I’m considering returning to the US for medical school or possibly extending my scholarship to pursue a PhD in neuroscience. The possibilities are endless and exciting!

Why Japanese studies?

As a QuestBridge student from a small town in Tennessee, I never imagined I’d travel beyond my state, let alone across the world. But º£½ÇÖ±²¥ gave me the chance to study abroad in Kyoto during my junior year, and I quickly fell in love with Japan: its rich culture and history, the convenience of daily life, the stunning landscapes, and, even with my fish allergy, the delicious food. I loved it so much that I returned the following summer to work in a Tokyo University lab, where I designed an algorithm to track circadian rhythms using a specialized wristwatch. Later, I presented that research in Singapore. Around that time, thanks to an information session the Japanese department shared, I learned about the MEXT scholarship. The rest is history.

Are there any classes, professors, or experiences that had a lasting impact on you?

It might be cheating, but I want to say all of them. My experience with the Japanese department was overwhelmingly positive, especially with Aridome Sensei and Selinger Sensei. Aridome Sensei taught me during two of my hardest times at º£½ÇÖ±²¥: my first year (the “Covid year,” when everything was on Zoom) and again during the fall of my senior year, when I was recovering from a spinal cord injury (all good now!). His kindness, energy, and passion for teaching were a steady source of much-needed support. The same is true of Selinger Sensei, whose empathy and tireless dedication to her students are unmatched. Anytime I felt unmotivated, I would stop and think, “What would Selinger Sensei do...?” and that was always enough to get me to open my laptop again.

What advice would you give to current students or recent graduates interested in your field?

Japanese can be hard, and that’s okay. I always joke that, to me, Japanese is harder than neuroscience, and I still stand by it! Learning the language requires patience and persistence. Progress comes in small daily steps, but the reward is worth it. If I could go back, I’d take the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test earlier, just to get a clearer sense of my strengths and weaknesses along the way. Japanese can also complement any major. I never expected my neuroscience major and Japanese minor to connect, but here I am, a neuroscience researcher in Japan. You never know where the overlap might take you.

What have you been up to since graduating from º£½ÇÖ±²¥?

Right after º£½ÇÖ±²¥ in August 2023, I went to Japan. I lived in Yao, Osaka, which people call a “bed town” because most residents just sleep there and commute into greater Osaka. I worked there for a year as an assistant language teacher at a junior high school, teaching first-, second-, and third-year students, which is the equivalent of American 7th, 8th, and 9th grades. I spent most of my time speaking and studying Japanese, and I eventually took the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test, earning an N1. Since August 2024, I have been teaching at a charter school in DC, teaching English to fifth-grade students.

Why Japanese studies?

Before starting at º£½ÇÖ±²¥, we had to fill out an interest form listing several classes or topics we thought we might study. Aridome Sensei was assigned as my academic advisor before I declared my major, and he was the first º£½ÇÖ±²¥ professor to ever reach out to me. He emailed me, inviting me to the Japanese open house, and I immediately said yes. At the open house, I met a few other students, one of whom became a close friend and later my roommate, and I met Aridome Sensei and Selinger Sensei, along with other upperclassmen in the department who were welcoming and enthusiastic. When I asked if I would be able to take Japanese classes, given that my handwriting was poor and the characters looked complicated, Selinger sensei assured me it would be fine. One thing she said during the open house has always stuck with me: when we study more abstract subjects like literature, it can be hard to tell if or how we are growing, but when we study a language, it’s very easy to notice how we concretely grow after every class or assignment—a new word, a new grammar form, a new character. That perspective drew me in and shaped my approach to learning.

Are there any classes, professors, or experiences that had a lasting impact on you?

Japanese classes in general were transformative because I had only studied Latin before College. I had never studied a living language or learned to live alongside a language, so it was exciting to study Japanese as a communication tool and gradually develop a version of myself that I could express through it. The first two years of classes were taught in English but focused on building language skills. This structure allowed me to practice the language while forming a supportive community with classmates. During COVID, Selinger Sensei classes and the Japanese language tables were especially influential. They allowed us to maintain a sense of community even while learning online, which helped me feel connected to º£½ÇÖ±²¥ and to my peers. Then, in the third year, we were speaking entirely in Japanese in Aridome Sensei’s class, reading, writing, and presenting in Japanese for hours. I still really appreciate Aridome Sensei for trusting that we could rise to that challenge. That class was an eye-opening experience for me because I had never been fully immersed in a second language before, and it solidified my desire to continue studying it.

In the English department, Professor Marilyn Reizbaum’s courses had a lasting impact. Her introduction to poetry course taught me how to write concise and structured essays, and her detailed feedback challenged me to take my work seriously from the start. Later, her 3000-level James Joyce seminar, in which we read Ulysses, profoundly shaped my approach to reading and teaching literature. That text requires learning, unlearning, and relearning new forms of strange and creative English as you read, and it helped show me that taking control of how we think and write words can help make our experiences of the world more interesting and joyful. In education, Doris Santoro’s course called Education and the Human Condition introduced me to pedagogical theories and inspired me to become a teacher. That course helped me see how education can foster joy, critical thinking, and freedom, which motivated me to pass those opportunities on to students.

What advice would you give to current students or recent graduates interested in your field?

My advice is to focus on what truly excites you and brings you enthusiasm. At º£½ÇÖ±²¥, I sometimes felt guilty about studying English because it felt self-indulgent and not directly job-oriented. College is one of the rare times when an institution is fully dedicated to supporting your growth. Engaging deeply with what excites you is not selfish; it’s the path to developing the skills and perspective that will allow you to help others. Take advantage of that time, explore your passions, and approach the world with curiosity and enthusiasm. That approach has shaped my path, from studying Japanese and English to teaching in Japan and the United States, and it’s what I hope to teach to my students!