2025 Japanese National Honor Society Inductees

Izzy Asker and Vincent Johnson of Georgetown University were nominated by Dr. Yoshiko Mori and have been inducted into the Japanese National Honor Society – College Chapter (JNHS–CC). The Japanese National Honor Society recognizes and encourages achievement and excellence in the study of the Japanese language. The society is administered by the American Association of Teachers of Japanese (AATJ), and membership is regarded as a national honor.

Izzy Asker and Vincent Johnson are among more than 1,000 college and university students who have been inducted into the JNHS–CC since its establishment in 2007.

To be eligible, students must maintain a GPA of 3.5 in five semester-long or seven quarter-long courses in Japanese language and have an overall GPA of at least 3.0 at the time of nomination. Outstanding students of Japanese should be commended for their motivation and perseverance, as well as their dedication to mastering this challenging language. Inducted students receive Certificates of Excellence and red-and-white cords to wear at graduation and are recognized on the AATJ website.

In today’s increasingly global society, it is essential for students to move beyond a monolingual perspective and engage deeply with the language and culture of another country. The Modern Language Association (MLA) states: “The MLA regards the learning of languages other than English as vital to an understanding of the world; such learning serves as a portal to the literatures, cultures, historical perspectives, and human experiences that constitute the human record. Pragmatically, we believe in the value of becoming part of a global conversation in which knowledge of English is often not enough, and the security and future of our country depend on accurately understanding other cultures through their linguistic and cultural practices.”

JNHS–CC students are part of this “global conversation” and will become tomorrow’s leaders as they engage in multicultural and multilingual dialogue.