Meet Our Students

Mario Acito

Mario Acito

Major: Asian Languages & Literatures

"The University of Minnesota Japanese program prepared me not only for living and working in Japan, but also for my career when I returned from the JET Program. The immersion-like experience as well as the real life applications of the lessons I learned, proved to be the corner stone of my career. The program helped me take my knowledge and push it far beyond the walls of the classroom."

 
Chris Jensen

Chris Jensen

Major: Linguistics

"Taking Japanese at the U has allowed me to be able to teach English in Japan when I graduate, and the people that I have met in the department are some of my favorite. There are a lot of opportunities to get involved with the department as a student, as there are a plethora of student groups, and the instructors in the department love interacting with the students."

 

Zoe L.

Zoe LaLonde

Majors: Asian Languages & Literatures; Studio Art

"My fondest memories of my time at the University of Minnesota come from my Japanese classes. I met my best friends in my first class over the summer of 2012. Every Japanese teacher here is a fabulous and engaging educator, and they encouraged me to do JET Program, which was one of the best experiences of my life."

 

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Yiqing Ma

Majors: Music; Psychology; Asian Languages & Literatures

"Learning in the ALL department is not only about obtaining knowledge of Japanese, but also about understanding Asian culture—my culture—in a universal sense, and developing your way of communication. For me, all the Japanese instructors in the department are like my family, they give me advice on studying, finding internships, and for my J-Pop Band. I feel so rewarded and benefited here everyday of my college life. The department twice sent me to Chicago to compete in the Annual Japanese Speech Contest. Thanks to the program, I can enjoy my life here."

Sean Nelson

Sean Nelson

Major: Asian Languages & Literatures

"I am a senior minoring in Asian Languages & Literatures with a focus in Japanese. The Japanese Department has played an integral role in my college career from language study to landing a research position in Japan. Not only does the Japanese Department offer superior language education, but the inclusive community built from the teacher’s total involvement in their students’ educations separates the Japanese Department from others as a top-notch program."