Apr 8

Commentary on JET: “This is what public diplomacy looks like”

Academic, Article/Journalism, Earthquake Tsunami, Fundraising, Japan Trends, Notable JET Alums, Return on JET-vestment, Writers Add Comment (1)

There’s a very thoughtful article titled “This is what public diplomacy looks like“ by JET alum Emily Metzgar, Assistant Professor at Indiana University’s School of Journalism, on the Center for Public Diplomacy blog (which is part of the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School of Communications).  (This is the same Emily Metzgar conducting the Survey of American Alumni of the JET Program.)

Here’s an excerpt that captures the gist of the piece, namely that JET is providing Japan with a significant “return on JET-vestment“:

“But in the aftermath of Japan’s devastating earthquake and tsunami, the value of having a large, worldwide network of college-educated foreigners who understand, respect and appreciate Japanese society and culture continues to emerge. A look at a JET alumni networking website, JETwit.com, provides ample evidence of the many ways in which current and former JETs are responding in whatever ways they can to the disaster hitting a country that all of them, at one time or another, have called home.”

CLICK HERE to read the full article.