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MTSU foreign language student awarded spot on pres...

MTSU foreign language student awarded spot on prestigious Kakehashi Project exchange in Japan

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MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee State University Japanese major Jordyn Caudle was chosen by the Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs to participate in the prestigious 2025 Kakehashi Project in February.

Dr. Priya Ananth
Dr. Priya Ananth
Tye Ebel

The Consulate-General of Japan in Nashville nominated Caudle, the first MTSU student selected for the exchange, based on his strong performance in the 2024 Tennessee Video Skit and Poster Presentation Contest, explained Tye Ebel, Japan Exchange and Teaching Program coordinator at the Japan Consulate, and the “enthusiastic support” from MTSU.

“We are thrilled that Jordyn was able to represent Tennessee in the recent Kakehashi exchange,” Ebel said. “We hope that his success encourages more students at MTSU to consider studying the Japanese language.”

Caudle competed with an elite group of applicants from across the United States and Canada to be named as one of 15 students to participate in the exchange program.

“I am very proud of Jordyn’s accomplishment as the first MTSU student selected for the prestigious program,” said Priya Ananth, professor of Japanese and program coordinator in the Department of World Languages, Literatures and Cultures. “I cannot think of a more deserving student from our Japanese program to experience this once-in-a-lifetime kind of opportunity.”

Middle Tennessee State University Japanese major Jordyn Caudle, of Nashville, Tenn., second from far right, was chosen by the Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs to participate in the prestigious 2025 Kakehashi Project in February. The cohort, seated at a restaurant in Japan, was comprised of five students from Canada and 10 from the United States who were handpicked to participate in the program. (Submitted photo)
Middle Tennessee State University Japanese major Jordyn Caudle, of Nashville, Tenn., second from far right, was chosen by the Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs to participate in the prestigious 2025 Kakehashi Project in February. The cohort, seated at a restaurant in Japan, was comprised of five students from Canada and 10 from the United States who were handpicked to participate in the program. (Submitted photo)

For eight days, Caudle and his cohort toured Japanese gardens, museums, universities, historical sites and even attended a traditional tea ceremony.

“They wanted to expose us to as much Japanese culture as possible,” said the 29-year-old Nashville resident. “The trip was a wonderful, life-changing experience.”

Kakehashi Project an exchange of cultures

In Japanese, the word “kakehashi” translates as “bridge.” The Kakehashi Project is a government-funded grassroots exchange program that focuses on “building bridges” by bringing groups to Japan for engaging, focused and customized experiences. So the country’s dignitaries are interested and involved in the program.

Middle Tennessee State University Japanese major Jordyn Caudle, of Nashville, Tenn., holds a certificate he received for being chosen by the Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs to participate in the prestigious 2025 Kakehashi Project exchange program. He earned an all-expenses-paid trip to Japan with over a dozen hand-picked students from across the United States and Canada. (Submitted photo)
Middle Tennessee State University Japanese major Jordyn Caudle, of Nashville, Tenn., holds a certificate he received for being chosen by the Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs to participate in the prestigious 2025 Kakehashi Project exchange program. He earned an all-expenses-paid trip to Japan with over a dozen hand-picked students from across the United States and Canada. (Submitted photo)

The day after the group arrived in Japan, they visited the home of Japan’s prime minister, where Caudle delivered a speech to some of those high-level dignitaries in Japanese.

“This was a great honor, but the introverted me was scared,” Caudle admitted. “But I came at them with some heat — I’d practiced my speech — and their eyes got really wide. I was able to impress them.”

Although the program participants were given personalized tours and exclusive experiences, they were also to “go, explore, take pictures, do whatever you want,” Caudle said, flipping through photos on his phone.

Students also lived with host families, who gave them an even deeper understanding of Japanese culture.

“It was great to be able to be in that environment. They were very welcoming and very warm,” said Caudle, showing off photos of him with his Japanese host “mother” and “brothers.” “They said basically anything you want to eat, anything you want to do, anywhere you want to go, we’ll go. So make a list of what you want.”

Staying with a host family gave Caudle the flip side to his own childhood. His introduction to Japanese culture came when his family began serving as a host home for a rotating cast of visitors from Japan, including students as well as employees working with Gibson guitar company in Nashville, Tennessee. His father also trained in martial arts.

Childhood roots reach back to Japan

As a teenager, Caudle’s family “fell on hard times,” he explained.

“I had lots of negative thoughts at the time,” Caudle recalled. “My escape from all that was putting everything I had into learning Japanese. I found a reason to keep going. I’m very lucky to have found that passion.”

Middle Tennessee State University Japanese major Jordyn Caudle, of Nashville, Tenn., center, stands with the family who hosted him during his trip to Japan that was sponsored by the Kakehashi Project exchange program. Caudle spent eight days touring Japanese museums, universities and historic sites. (Submitted photo)
Middle Tennessee State University Japanese major Jordyn Caudle, of Nashville, Tenn., center, stands with the family who hosted him during his trip to Japan that was sponsored by the Kakehashi Project exchange program. Caudle spent eight days touring Japanese museums, universities and historic sites. (Submitted photo)

In his early 20s, Caudle began working as an interpreter for various Japanese companies. Eventually, he found his way to MTSU.

“One of the main reasons I chose MTSU is for the Japanese program. Since I already had a background in Japanese, I just wanted to immerse myself in a Japanese program as well,” Caudle said. “The professors have helped me perfect my Japanese.”

After graduation, Caudle plans to pursue a career in disaster prevention and relief in Japan, which contends with a variety of natural geological events like tsunamis and earthquakes. He also hopes to film and produce documentaries about Japan to share the beauty of this beloved country.

“I get the most joy when I’m helping people,” Caudle said. “And I want to give back to the country because I feel like it gave me a path in life to continue to do so.”

Caudle will give a presentation about his trip from 3:30-4:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 25, in Room 314 of Boutwell Dramatic Arts Building, 615 Champion Way on campus. The public is invited to attend free of charge.

A campus parking map is available at https://bit.ly/MTSUParking and more information about parking is available at https://mtsu.edu/parking/.

The Japanese concentration in the Bachelor of Sciences and Bachelor of Arts in Foreign Languages is offered through the College of Liberal Arts. Learn more at https://www.mtsu.edu/program/foreign-languages-japanese-concentration-b-s/.

—  Nancy DeGennaro (Nancy.DeGennaro@mtsu.edu)

Middle Tennessee State University Japanese major Jordyn Caudle, of Nashville, Tenn., was chosen by the Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs to participate in the prestigious 2025 Kakehashi Project in February. For eight days, Caudle and his cohort toured Japanese gardens, museums, universities, historical sites and even attended a traditional tea ceremony. (Submitted)
Middle Tennessee State University Japanese major Jordyn Caudle, of Nashville, Tenn., was chosen by the Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs to participate in the prestigious 2025 Kakehashi Project in February. For eight days, Caudle and his cohort toured Japanese gardens, museums, universities, historical sites and even attended a traditional tea ceremony. (Submitted)
Middle Tennessee State University Japanese major Jordyn Caudle, of Nashville, Tenn., foreground, dines with the family who hosted him during his trip to Japan that was sponsored by the Kakehashi Project exchange program. Caudle spent eight days touring Japanese museums, universities and historic sites. (Submitted photo)
Middle Tennessee State University Japanese major Jordyn Caudle, of Nashville, Tenn., foreground, dines with the family who hosted him during his trip to Japan that was sponsored by the Kakehashi Project exchange program. Caudle spent eight days touring Japanese museums, universities and historic sites. (Submitted photo)
Middle Tennessee State University Japanese major Jordyn Caudle, of Nashville, Tenn., was chosen by the Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs to participate in the prestigious 2025 Kakehashi Project in February. For eight days, Caudle and his cohort toured Japanese gardens, museums, universities, historical sites and even attended a traditional tea ceremony. (Submitted)
Middle Tennessee State University Japanese major Jordyn Caudle, of Nashville, Tenn., holds a certificate he received for being chosen by the Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs to participate in the prestigious 2025 Kakehashi Project exchange program. He earned an all-expenses-paid trip to Japan with over a dozen hand-picked students from across the United States and Canada. (Submitted photo)
Middle Tennessee State University Japanese major Jordyn Caudle, of Nashville, Tenn., holds a certificate he received for being chosen by the Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs to participate in the prestigious 2025 Kakehashi Project exchange program. He earned an all-expenses-paid trip to Japan with over a dozen hand-picked students from across the United States and Canada. (Submitted photo)
Middle Tennessee State University Japanese major Jordyn Caudle, of Nashville, Tenn., was chosen by the Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs to participate in the prestigious 2025 Kakehashi Project in February. For eight days, Caudle and his cohort toured Japanese gardens, museums, universities, historical sites and even attended a traditional tea ceremony. (Submitted)
Middle Tennessee State University Japanese major Jordyn Caudle, of Nashville, Tenn., was chosen by the Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs to participate in the prestigious 2025 Kakehashi Project in February. For eight days, Caudle and his cohort toured Japanese gardens, museums, universities, historical sites and even attended a traditional tea ceremony. (Submitted)
Middle Tennessee State University Japanese major Jordyn Caudle, of Nashville, Tenn., was chosen by the Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs to participate in the prestigious 2025 Kakehashi Project in February. For eight days, Caudle and his cohort toured Japanese gardens, museums, universities, historical sites and even attended a traditional tea ceremony. (Submitted)
Middle Tennessee State University Japanese major Jordyn Caudle, of Nashville, Tenn., was chosen by the Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs to participate in the prestigious 2025 Kakehashi Project in February. For eight days, Caudle and his cohort toured Japanese gardens, museums, universities, historical sites and even attended a traditional tea ceremony. (Submitted)
Middle Tennessee State University Japanese major Jordyn Caudle, of Nashville, Tenn., second from far right, was chosen by the Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs to participate in the prestigious 2025 Kakehashi Project in February. The cohort, seated at a restaurant in Japan, was comprised of five students from Canada and 10 from the United States who were handpicked to participate in the program. (Submitted photo)
Middle Tennessee State University Japanese major Jordyn Caudle, of Nashville, Tenn., second from far right, was chosen by the Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs to participate in the prestigious 2025 Kakehashi Project in February. The cohort, seated at a restaurant in Japan, was comprised of five students from Canada and 10 from the United States who were handpicked to participate in the program. (Submitted photo)
Middle Tennessee State University Japanese major Jordyn Caudle, of Nashville, Tenn., center, stands with the family who hosted him during his trip to Japan that was sponsored by the Kakehashi Project exchange program. Caudle spent eight days touring Japanese museums, universities and historic sites. (Submitted photo)
Middle Tennessee State University Japanese major Jordyn Caudle, of Nashville, Tenn., center, stands with the family who hosted him during his trip to Japan that was sponsored by the Kakehashi Project exchange program. Caudle spent eight days touring Japanese museums, universities and historic sites. (Submitted photo)
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