Marika Katanuma graduated in May of 2016, and by June of 2016 she had an exciting update for the E&H Alumni Office. “I finally got a job! I will be an editor at Yahoo! Japan.”

Marika is a native of Tokyo, Japan, who completed a double-major in mass communications and sociology Emory & Henry in only three years. She came to E&H because she says she “simply wanted to learn English and the culture of Southwest Virginia. I know many Japanese and other international students go to the west, like California or the north like New York and Massachusetts. But, I thought that doesn’t represent the experience in the states. I wanted to experience something different.”

She is back in Tokyo now, but while here she dove into studies, and began to discern her true interests. “I didn’t know what I wanted to be when I came to Emory, but the education I got and the people that I met during my college years made me realize that I love all sorts of communications.” She compiled an impressive online portfolio that includes examples of her writing, interview skills, and video news reporting, and she says she feels like the information she shared in the interview about her Emory & Henry experiences helped her get the job in Tokyo.

We aren’t sure why she said, “I finally got a job” – because in fewer than 30 days, she has landed a job with one of the largest corporations in the world! “I will be editing the start-page of Yahoo! Japan website that includes many services, like online news, shopping, and search engine. I am excited to contribute to the job to improve people’s lives through the power of internet and information.”