Alumni
"I graduated from UC Irvine in 2021 with my degree in East Asian Cultures. Learning Japanese has been a part of my life, so I chose to continue studying East Asian Cultures in graduate school. In August I will attend Columbia University for my master’s degree."- Yixi Wang
East Asian Cultures
March 2021 graduate
"I loved how our professors taught us how to think, not what to think. It was mind-opening in a life-changing way because they taught history and culture in a way that allowed us to apply the lessons to contemporary issues. I feel like the way I see the world and differing opinions has changed – instead rejecting them, they enable me to be more productive and sometimes enlightened. Currently, I am in Japan to negotiate for product for my startup (a Japanese-English translation and publishing company)."- Morgan Jean Watchorn, Japanese Language & Literature
Japanese Honors Society 2015-2016
Spring 2016 Graduate
" I am currently working as a Chinese-English translator and interpreter and studying on the side to become state certified in those areas.How has the acquired language skills impacted my career and career plans. They have greatly benefitted me because I am able to apply those language skills every day while working, which includes writing and speaking Chinese. I really enjoyed learning Chinese, which was why I was geared towards jobs that required it. In that way, I can continue using and improving my Chinese.
In general, as a student who graduated from the School of Humanities, I understand its policies and requirements, which helps when advising students on their courses.”
- Ariel Tiet
B.A., Chinese Studies & Comparative Literature, December 2016 graduate
"I started learning Japanese in high school, and at UCI I started Japanese 2 my first year, and finished all the Japanese courses before my fourth year. I believe I have so much more to learn, but I have been told that I speak fluently. I learned about the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) program from my high school teacher, but Professor Riggs also talked about the JET program. I started my interest in the Japanese language during high school, but my interest for the culture wasn't really cultivated until I entered the Department of East Asian Languages & Literatures. Since graduating, I work as an Assistant Language Teacher with JET, and my duties are team-teaching with the Japanese Teacher of English, assisting with lesson planning, and participating in extra-curricular activities with students. I am working in the city, Tomamae. It is located in the northern island of Hokkaido. I work for Tomamae Junior High School, Tomamae Elementary School, Kotanbetsu Junior High School, Kotanbetsu Elementary school, and Tomamae Commercial High School."- Benjamin Nguyen
Spring 2016 graduate, Japanese major