MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Five Middle Tennessee State University alums will soon begin their yearlong adventure teaching in Japan as part of the Japanese Exchange and Teaching Program. 

With more than 75 countries participating, the program, also known as JET, offers a unique cultural exchange opportunity to meet people from around the world living and working in Japan.

Joining this prestigious program are:

• William Birdwell, foreign languages major
• Jaymee Freeze, foreign languages major
• Brionna Harbach, art education major
• Colby Taylor, English major  
• Andrew Wolff, foreign languages and global studies and human geography major

The JET process is year-round, launching each fall with informational sessions for students and help with applications, reference letters, and interview preparation. Applications are due in November. Each consulate interviews selected applicants in January and February, decisions are announced in April, and the new JET scholars depart in July and August for their year in Japan.

Laura Clippard, undergraduate fellowships coordinator and Honors College advisor, helps students earn national and international scholarships, awards, and fellowships from several organizations, including JET and Bridging Scholarships. Sixty-six students were awarded Bridging Scholarships to support their study abroad in Japan for the fall 2024 semester or the 2024-25 academic year.

“We encourage students with good communication skills, leadership, community involvement, and strong academics to consider fellowships like JET because they are most likely to be conscientious and represent the United States in a positive way,” said Clippard. “If you are interested in engaging with new cultures and are flexible, interested in teaching and communication, you will enjoy the JET program.”

The alums will work in schools, boards of education, and government offices throughout Japan. The JET Program, the only teaching exchange program managed by the Japanese government, began in 1987 and has welcomed more than 77,000 participants worldwide, including almost 35,800 Americans.

But the MTSU cohort won’t be alone. Marketing and foreign languages double major Rachelle Laurel, of Smyrna, is completing the fall 2024 semester at Kansai Gaidai University in Japan thanks to a Bridging Scholarship administered by the American Association of Teachers of Japanese. 

“Although I’ve only been in Japan for two weeks, I have enjoyed immersing myself in the language, meeting other exchange students, and exploring Hirakata City,” said Laurel, who is an Honors Buchanan Fellow in her third year. “Without the support of the Japanese language faculty at MTSU, I wouldn’t have felt nearly as prepared. I am incredibly thankful to the MTSU Office of Education Abroad and the Japan Bridging Foundation for offering financial support to study abroad this academic year.”

The 2025 JET application is now open. Interested students must apply by Nov. 15. The application is available at jetprogramusa.org. 

Funded by the US-Japan Bridging Foundation, the Bridging Project offers study-abroad scholarships to American undergraduate students to study in Japan for a semester or an academic year. The Bridging Foundation seeks to recruit a diverse cohort of students and has allocated several scholarships for students from underrepresented communities. Applications for 2025-26 Bridging Scholarships will open in the spring of 2025.

For more information about MTSU’s Undergraduate Fellowships Office, visit honors.mtsu.edu/ufo/.

— Robin E. Lee (Robin.E.Lee@mtsu.edu)