Two University of Kentucky graduates recently were honored at the Consulate General of Japan in Nashville before participating in the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program. Pictured are Jillian Madden, left, a UK alum and a leader of the program’s alumni association; UK graduates Gabriel Maynard and Heather Bingham; and Shinji Watanabe, counsel-general.  

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Two University of Kentucky graduates from the College of Arts and Sciences recently participated in the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program. The competitive employment opportunity allows young professionals to live and work in cities, towns and villages throughout Japan.  

Most participants serve as assistant language teachers and work in public and private schools throughout Japan; some work as coordinators for international relations as interpreters and translators. 

The alumni are: 

• Gabriel Maynard, who was a biology major in UK’s College of Arts and Sciences and a 2019 graduate. 

• Heather Bingham, a FLIE-Japanese major who graduated in 2023. 

 They were honored at a pre-departure reception at the official residence of the Consulate General of Japan in Nashville, Tennessee.