My name is Megan Doi and I will be working as a graduate student intern at the JCMU office this semester. I am currently pursuing a master’s degree in International Education Management at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, California. I am excited to have the opportunity to complete the practical part of my studies at JCMU this semester. I will be working in Lansing, Michigan over the next 3 months and then continue to Hikone, Japan to help with some of the programs this summer.

Background

I grew up in Southern California in the Los Angeles (LA) area, so I am still getting used to the cold winters here in Michigan. As an undergrad I received my bachelor’s degree in biology. One year after graduating I applied to the JET program and lived in Yamanashi prefecture (where Mt. Fuji is located!) for 4 years teaching English at a local high school. While teaching English in Japan, I realized my passion for cultural exchange and decided to pursue my master’s in international education management after returning home to the states. After graduating, I would like to work in the field of international education and continue to promote education abroad opportunities for students around the world.

I love traveling and learning about different cultures. I especially enjoy dancing and learning about different styles of dance from around the world. So far have tried traditional Japanese dance (日本舞踊, nihon buyou), hula dance, belly dance and Latin dance.