Graduates Follow Their Passion To Japan
Japanese Studies program offers global opportunities for life and work.
posted 8/1/07

A passion for Japanese culture and language is what draws students to major in Japanese Studies at Adrian College. It’s no wonder, then, that graduates of the program are ending up in Japan.

In fact, the first three students to complete the program – which was approved as a major in the spring of 2005 – have gone on to live and work in Japan right after college.

Andre Gilbert, the first graduate from the department, remembers how his interest in the country blossomed when he studied abroad at Kansai Gaidai University.

“I never really thought about what it was going to be like to actually use language to survive and interact with people. The language and writing courses were all done in Japanese and no English was spoken in class,” he said. “But the whole experience was wonderful both inside and out of school.”

Andre said his major made him marketable.

“Adrian’s program definitely fit my needs because I wanted to learn the language in order to be able speak comfortably in a conversation and live in Japan,” he said. “There were several opportunities offered to me after I graduated. I remember getting calls for administrative jobs and even one from Nissan. But I wanted to return to Japan and build my language ability more. So, I'm here now as an assistant English teacher with INTERAC Japan.”

It was in reaction to the interests of students like Andre that the College added the major, says Bryan Bott, Japanese instructor and director of the program.

“What I love about this major is that it truly is a student-driven one. After I started teaching the Japanese language classes, I started hearing from many of my students who wanted more – they wanted the opportunity to major in a subject that had captured their imagination and their interest,” Bott said.

“We are incredibly fortunate to have a core of faculty – Terry Jackson (history), Fritz Detwiller (philosophy and religion), and myself (modern languages and culture) – who are committed to teaching about this important culture. By creating this major, we have allowed our students access to a field of study and significant job opportunities that were unavailable before.”

For such a small and personal program, an impressive number of graduates have ended up in Japan, including Nick Crooks and Katie Dewey. Recent graduates Reshia Jamison and Josh Franklin will be working there soon.

The program also opens doors to unique experiences during college. Japanese Studies major Sarah Tykoski worked this summer as an instructor to Japanese students at Wildwind Equestrian Center in South Lyon, Mich. You can read about it in the Detroit Free Press.