In FY24, Sasakawa USA continued its partnership with the US Japan Exchange & Teaching Programme Alumni Association (USJETAA) in offering a competitive mini-grant program vis-à-vis the JET Alumni Association (JETAA) chapters and sub-chapters within the United States.Through this initiative, funded by Sasakawa USA and administered by USJETAA, small grants were awarded to JETAA chapters and sub-chapters to co-host innovative activities that engaged JET alumni and sought to promote a better understanding on U.S.-Japan relations in their communities. In its eighth year of the program—which follows the Japanese fiscal year from April 1, 2023 – March 31, 2024—Sasakawa USA and USJETAA awarded a total of three grants to JETAA chapters.

These chapters were the Japanese Exchange and Teaching Alumni Association of Washington, D.C. (JETAADC), the Japanese Exchange and Teaching Alumni Association of Music City: Bluegrass Subchapter (JETAAMC), and the Japanese Exchange and Teaching Alumni Association of Texoma: Austin Subchapter (JETAA Texoma). USJETAA guided these chapters in the execution of the events, but both the Bluegrass subchapter and the Austin subchapter received additional support from local Japan America Societies, which shared resources and fostered greater community engagement. All chapter grants focused on supporting the career development for recently returned JET alumni entering the job market.

The selected proposals were:

*Denotes JET alumnus

JET Alumni Association of Washington, D.C. (JETAADC)

“Mentorship Program”

Program Dates: August 2024 – January 2025
Location: Washington, D.C.

For the fifth year in a row, JETAADC ran its Mentorship program, which matched recently returned JETs (mentees) with established JET Alumni (mentors) to provide professional and personal development opportunities for mentees and the opportunity to give-back and foster the next generation of U.S.-Japan leadership to mentors. The program was conducted in a hybrid format, with mentors and mentees participating in virtual and/or in-person monthly meetings, to include alumni career talk panels, resume workshops, and various networking events. This year’s cohort consisted of 12 mentor/mentee pairs, for a total of 24 participants, a 200% increase from last year. Mentors and mentees were expertly matched according to their interests, and by the end of the program 4 mentees were able to secure jobs. There was also a 30% increase in overall participation in program-related events, with about 180 participants. JETAADC plans to continue the Mentorship Program next year, as it helps to develop future leaders in the U.S.-Japan community, and serves as a model for how to foster professional growth and engagement for other JETAA chapters.

JET Alumni Association of Music City (Nashville): Bluegrass Subchapter (JETAAMC)

“Career Compass: 3-Part Series”

Program Dates:

• Part 1: Wednesday, September 4, 2024
• Part 2: Tuesday, October 8, 2024
• Part 3: Tuesday, October 22, 2024

Location: Virtual/ Kentucky

JETAAMC hosted a Career Compass Series, which consisted of three virtual sessions, followed by an in-person networking event. The program was overseen by USJETAA and supported by the Japan America Society of Michigan’s young professional’s group and the Japan America Society of Kentucky. JETAAMC also connected with JETAA Great Lakes to participate in the event as well. The event attracted 158 participants, which included recently returned and established JET alumni. The panels were as follows: Panel 1. “Entry to US-Japan Opportunities,” Panel 2. “Japanese Language Teaching,” and Panel 3. “Automotive Industry Opportunities.” This was JETAAMC’s first large-scale program for JET returnees, and received positive feedback following the event, with all survey takers rating the event as “fantastic.”

JET Alumni Association of Texoma: Austin Subchapter (JETAA Texoma)

“What’s Next: You & the US-Japan Connection”

Program Dates: Friday, December 13, 2024

Location: Austin Community College, Rio Grande Campus,1212 Rio Grande St., Austin, TX

JETAA Texoma held a panel discussion and luncheon on how JET alumni can leverage their JET experience for their career advancement, in which panelists shared insights on employment opportunities in Japan-related organizations and local companies. The 38 individuals registered for the event included JET alumni and prospective JETs. The event was supported by USJETAA, JETAA Texoma, as well as Japan America Society of Greater Austin. It was also their first large scale program aimed at supporting recently returned JETs, which helped to give visibility to the JET Alumni of this subchapter within the greater Austin community.

You can read more about the chapter grant program on the USJETAA website.