Melissa Golden, Program Development Assistant
Melissa participated in the Japan Exchange & Teaching (JET) Programme from 2007 to 2012. For those five years, she worked in a small town in Hokkaido, northern Japan, as the only foreign English teacher at five elementary schools and two junior high schools. Melissa also participated in many projects with other JET participants; including coordinating and directing four English musical productions and training new JETs at annual orientations. She discovered a great satisfaction and purpose in working to foster cross-cultural understanding and competence in both her Japanese students and JET colleagues. She also greatly enjoyed using theater as a creative space to facilitate cross-cultural learning.
After finishing the JET Programme, Melissa enrolled in the Monterey Institute of International Studies' M.A. in International Education Management program. She is utilizing both her experience working in cross-cultural situations and knowledge and skills developed through her graduate degree program to not only assist with this year’s XSEL program, but to further sustainable program development. She continues to study Japanese, and is conducting research on social innovation and entrepreneurship. After completing the IEM program in December 2014, Melissa hopes to work professionally to create and support programs like XSEL for students from different countries and cultures to collaborate and learn together.
After finishing the JET Programme, Melissa enrolled in the Monterey Institute of International Studies' M.A. in International Education Management program. She is utilizing both her experience working in cross-cultural situations and knowledge and skills developed through her graduate degree program to not only assist with this year’s XSEL program, but to further sustainable program development. She continues to study Japanese, and is conducting research on social innovation and entrepreneurship. After completing the IEM program in December 2014, Melissa hopes to work professionally to create and support programs like XSEL for students from different countries and cultures to collaborate and learn together.