Congratulations to Anissa Rickerson ’19, a recent recipient of a scholarship from the Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO). During the spring 2018 semester, she will attend Japan’s Otaru University of Commerce, located in one of Japan’s historic cities of commerce.

Anissa Rickerson

“I am delighted by this news,” said Dr. Stephen B. Herschler, interim director of the Center for Global Education in Oglethorpe’s Atlanta Laboratory for Learning (A_LAB). “I think the award is well-deserved as I know that (Anissa) will be an excellent student and citizen while studying at Otaru.”

JASSO is an independent administrative institution established under the Japan Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. JASSO administers scholarship programs and student support programs, which aim to foster individual creativity and leadership development, while promoting international understanding and exchange.

An International Studies major, Rickerson will take Japanese language and culture classes at the “other OU” for credits toward her major, as well as other classes she selected “because they seemed interesting”. She hopes to also complete an internship while in Japan. She’s considering a future career as a government translator and would like to publish a few books.

Rickerson has completed all Japanese language classes offered at Oglethorpe, but is looking forward to learning more while in Japan.

“Traveling to different countries, interacting with people, and learning more about their culture always interested me,” said Rickerson, who serves as secretary for Oglethorpe’s Anime Anonymous club. “I feel that it will be daunting at times (but) I hope I’ll have a great time.”