Donnelly Alumnus is JET Set

Konnichiwa (“Hello” in Japanese)! Class of 2024 alumnus Justin O’Shea Cavazos has been accepted into the highly competitive Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program.

This program, founded in 1987, recruits participants from around the world to work in public schools and government offices throughout Japan. This is not a program for tourists or volunteers – Justin will be issued a Japanese work visa, provided subsidized housing and paid a salary while making a difference in a local Japanese community. Participants must commit to at least one year of service but can stay for up to five. 

According to the Japanese Consulate in Los Angeles, over 17,000 people applied for the 2024 JET Program, and Justin is one of the 1,000 individuals who were accepted. That’s an acceptance rate roughly comparable to schools in the Ivy League.

Speaking with Justin, it’s immediately clear why he was accepted: he’s got a friendly, outgoing demeanor so often seen among teachers, he’s passionate about Japanese culture and he’s hardworking with a drive to succeed. Justin also received assistance from the Donnelly community in the form of a letter of recommendation from Dean of the College Lisa Stoothoff and mentoring/interview coaching from JET alumnus and Donnelly’s Credit for Prior Learning Advisor Darin Seal.

Justin is slated to depart for Japan in August 2024 and has been placed in Amakusa. The JET Program generally sends participants to more rural areas, and that’s just fine with Justin.

“Whether I’m teaching at an elementary or high school, whether I’m going to a big city or a tiny village, I’ll just be happy to be living and working in Japan,” he said.