Jordan at JapanFest, a celebration of the country’s culture and language, held annually in metro Atlanta.

Jordan K. Michels ’17 has been awarded a full tuition scholarship by the Obirin Gakuen Foundation of America to study abroad at J.F. Oberlin University’s Reconnaissance Japan Program, designed for exchange students from overseas partner institutions who wish to learn about Japan and experience it firsthand. While in the program during the spring 2016 semester, Jordan will study Japanese language and cultural relations and engagement.

Jordan, an international studies major and Japanese minor, is deeply involved at Oglethorpe, serving as secretary of the SGA, RHA president, COEXIST vice president, president of the Society of Japanese Language Students, and an Admission student ambassador. She also is a member of Tri Sigma and works at the OU Museum of Art, where she is assistant curator for the upcoming Japanese exhibition Nuido, The Way of Embroidery, opening in January 2016. Dr. Robert Steen, professor of Japanese, facilitated Jordan’s study abroad opportunity and “pushed me to apply,” she says. “Without Dr. Steen, I wouldn’t be going abroad.”

Jordan’s study abroad opportunity also was a direct result of her internship at Atlanta-based Japan-America Society of Georgia, led by executive director and Oglethorpe alumnus Yoshi Domoto ’03. His mother, Maria Domoto, is the U.S. admission representative for the Reconnaissance Japan Program. While interning, Jordan assisted with philanthropy efforts and events and served as an assistant teacher and chaperone for visiting students from Japan. Jordan’s arrival in Japan will be a happy reunion with many of the students she assisted while they studied in the U.S.

Eventually, Jordan wants to teach English in Japan, and hopes the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and resulting increased demand for translators, could be her permanent ticket there.

“I hope more students will be inspired to study abroad in Asia,” says Jordan. “But we first have to pave the way.”