We are very excited to welcome Aiko Harris to the team as USJC’s new Program Manager!
Aiko was born and raised in Japan and came to the United States for educational purposes. After receiving dual degrees in English and Communication Studies from Eastern Washington University and Mukogawa Women’s University, she worked as a student advisor for Japanese college students studying abroad at Mukogawa Women’s University’s American campus, located in Spokane, Washington. Working with Japanese college students allowed her to gain an interest in teaching which led her to pursue a Master of Arts in English, Teaching English as a Second Language. She taught rhetoric and composition courses as a lecturer and advised students on career development as a career advisor at Eastern Washington University before coming to the U.S.-Japan Council.
“For the past several years of working as a professor and a career advisor, I had many occasions where students and I had had in-depth conversations about our dream jobs. At that time, I was not so sure, but when I came across the program manager position at USJC, it became very clear. ‘THIS IS IT!’ Aiko says, “I am very passionate about educating youth on leadership, cultural diversity, and rhetoric. I strongly value the bilateral relationship of my home countries, both the U.S. and Japan. I am very excited to join the team and work for and with the communities to create an even brighter future.”