Centre sending a record number of students to Japan through JET Program

Five Centre graduates will be traveling to Japan in August through the Japanese Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program — a record number for the College.

“The JET Program is the premier English teaching assistantship in East Asia,” said Robert Schalkoff, Director of the Centre Office of Fellowships. “These students have an extraordinary opportunity ahead of them and are examples of Centre’s dedication to international experiences and post-graduate success.” 

For the first time, a Centre alumnus, Quinn Oney ’25, has also been named a Coordinator for International Relations (CIR) through the JET Program. This position requires a high degree of fluency and makes up less than 10% of all JET program participants. 

Oney will spend his year in Japan working with a state or city government office to promote cultural exchange and understanding. He will work with officials, conduct cultural programming, and oversee visits from overseas diplomats and stakeholders.

Three current seniors, Shelby Coffey, Aaron Klein and Duffy Oakley, along with a recent graduate, CJ Tucker ’25, have been named JET Assistant Language Teachers. They will spend time in Japanese schools or be assigned to local boards of education to help teach foreign languages to students. 

Sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, the program provides hands-on experience and immerses participants in a culture outside of their own. They’ll learn about the Japanese work environment and connect with the people and communities they work with.

"I would like to congratulate all of the successful 2026 JET Candidates at Centre College on making it through the selection process," said Shinji Watanabe, Consul-General of Japan in Nashville. "One of the primary objectives of the JET Program is to build and strengthen grassroots connections between Japan and the global community. I look forward to seeing how these young professionals add to those connections, both during their time on the program and throughout their promising careers." 

These students and recent alumni bring the number of Centre JET Scholars to 15 over the past five years. 

They also won’t be the only Centre alumni in Japan. Tyler Kinney ’25 will be studying global economics through a grant from the Japanese government as a MEXT Scholar, and Aidan Isaak ’24 has been awarded the Boren Fellowship, which funds research and language study of graduate students abroad.

In total, seven recent Centre alumni will be in Japan by next year.

“I’m personally and professionally overjoyed with Centre’s showing this year,” said Schalkoff, who spent 20 years of his career as a university professor in Japan. “My life and work in Japan were transformative, and I’m excited for Centre students to have equally life-changing experiences in Japan.”