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The Light Fellowship Student Advisory Committee (SAC) was founded in 2007 by a group of Light Fellows returning to campus after their time abroad, eager to share their experiences with peers, encourage other students to seek the same opportunity, and give back to the Light Fellowship Program.  

Reach out to one of the SAC members below if you are interested in speaking to a former Fellow about applying to the Light Fellowship, choosing a program, spending a term or year abroad, or have general questions about the Light Fellowship experience and studying abroad in East Asia!

Tip: Contact the Light Fellowship office:

  • If you are interested in speaking to a recent Fellow with similar academic or career interests or who did a particular program or term abroad not represented below.
  • If you have questions or concerns about how your race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, language, disability, religion, or other identity considerations may impact your experience abroad and are unsure which SAC member to speak to.

We would be happy to share resources and put you in touch with former Fellows who are willing to share their experience and insights into these important considerations.

SAC Members

JP Kuhn

BA
History
2028

Award Details

SAC Details

Japanese Language Representative
2025-2026

Hi. My name is JP, and I am currently a sophomore in Timothy Dwight College. I am a history major interested in Asia, and I gained an interest in Japanese from visiting Japan with my family when I was younger. I started studying Japanese L1 in my first year, and spent last summer studying Japanese at Doshisha University in Kyoto through KCJS. Studying abroad and living in a homestay allowed for an immersive experience that helped my Japanese grow immensely. While the work was hard, it helped me to push myself to make the most out of my experience. I am grateful for the friends from other universities that I made through my program, some so close that we are planning on meeting occasionally this semester, and for the ability to grow and adapt.

Contact JP

Jesús Cebreros

B.A
Art
2027

Award Details

SAC Details

Japanese Language Representative
2025-2026

Hello! My name is Jesús Cebreros and I am a third year in Trumbull College majoring in Art. During the 2023-2024 year, I studied abroad at Nanzan University in Nagoya, Japan. At Nanzan I got to practice my Japanese through intensive Japanese courses as well as several art courses like 生花(Flower-Arrangement)、書道 (Calligraphy)、踊り(Dance)、and 武道(Martial Arts). Outside of the classroom, I practiced with Nanzan's Judo, Track and Field, and Art clubs, frequented a jazz bar in Sakae called Jazz Inn Lovely, experienced salsa and bachata through the oldest salsa bar in Nagoya, got close to a couple of the nearby mom-and-pop shop owners, made a trip to Tokyo to see the Hakone Ekiden and thrift with a friend studying at Middlebury's ICU program, climbed at two local climbing gyms (one in Sakae and the other in Imaike), went on multiple CJS field trips including to Tokugawaen, Ghibli Park, and Toyota Automobile Museum, completed two bike trips (one to Tokushima and the other around Shikoku and Shimanami Kaido), saw Kaneko Ayano and her band perform live at Zepp Nagoya, and SOOO much more!!! My year abroad in Japan was such a transformative experience and one that I will never forget. If you have any questions regarding the Light Fellowship, Nanzan, living in Japan, studying Japanese, or any of the experiences I mentioned above, please don't hesitate to reach out.

Contact Jesús

Jennifer Centa

BA
Statistics and Data Science
2027
Yale College

Award Details

Middlebury in Japan
Academic Year
2024-2025
No

SAC Details

Student Advisory Committee Co-Chair
2025-2026

Hello!! I'm Jennifer, and I had the wonderful opportunity to spend the 2024-25 academic year in Tokyo(ICU) with the Middlebury in Japan program! During my time there, I was able to significantly improve my Japanese level through the Special Japanese Program (equivalent to the heritage track), as well as through living with local roommates, and community engagement/internship activities built into the program. During my year abroad, not only did I get the opportunity to feel closer to my roots by learning all sorts of traditional arts (koto, tea ceremony, flower arranging, judo), but I also I was able to travel all over the country with program sponsored trips & fun weekend trips with friends! If you have any questions about the program or studying in Japan generally, please reach out and I would love to chat!! :)

Contact Jennifer

Jack He

BA
History & Economics
2026.5
Yale College

Award Details

SAC Details

Student Advisory Committee Co-Chair
2025-2026

Hi! My name is Jack. I attended KCJS (Kyoto Consortium of Japanese Studies) during the Spring 2025 semester. I had an amazing time and was lucky enough to improve my Japanese both in the classroom and at the dinner table with my host family. Kyoto was also a lovely city to live in. Please reach out with any questions about Light, KCJS, or Kyoto!

Contact Jack

Darwin Restrepo De La Cruz

BA
Computing & Linguistics
2027

Award Details

SAC Details

Japanese Language Representative
2025-2026

Hello everyone! I'm Darwin, a junior studying Computing & Linguistics from Grace Hopper college. I had the privilege of receiving the Light Fellowship and getting to study abroad in Hakodate and Nagoya. I was able to polish my Japanese every day through conversation with my host family in Hakodate and my Japanese classmates at Nanzan. I took Japanese, Calligraphy, and Translation classes in Nagoya, and in Hakodate got to experience traditional tea ceremonies, judo, and making soba by hand! Through my Japanese classes, I became more deeply immersed not only in the language but in the culture too, as I found myself able to express myself more freely and bond with other international students and Japanese students alike. During my spring break in Nagoya, I traveled solo through Kyushu through places like Kagoshima, Kumamoto, Nagasaki, and Hiroshima. The classes I took, the experiences I had, and the friends I made in Japan formed the best year of my life. I'd love to help you have an amazing experience in Japan through this fellowship, so if there's anything you'd like to reach out and talk about, please don't hesitate in shooting me an email!

Contact Darwin

Nicholas Yee

BA
Global Affairs & History
2027

Award Details

CET-Osaka
Summer
2024
No

SAC Details

Japanese Language Representative
2025-2026

Hey everyone! I'm Nick, a sophomore in Berkeley studying Global Affairs and History. My time in Osaka was nothing less than transformative—building bonds with other Japanese university students is a unique experience you won't get in any other program, and thus, my Japanese certainly improved a ton. The fellowship also allowed me to travel around and hit some of my lifetime bucket list items—climbing Mount Fuji on a whim, watching a Sumo Tournament live, staying with Buddhist monks, visiting an onsen town, and getting very acquainted with the Japanese vintage thrifting scene! I would love to talk about my experiences anytime so please reach out!

Contact Nicholas

Yuanhao Yang

BA
Applied Math and Philosophy
Summer

Award Details

Princeton in Ishikawa
Summer
2025
No

SAC Details

Japanese Language Representative
2025-2026
Contact Yuanhao

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