Meet the 2021 Shansi Fellows to Japan

We are thrilled to introduce our newest Shansi Fellows to Japan; Jasmine Mitchell ‘21 and Leina Fieleke ‘21 will teach at JF Oberlin University.

Jasmine Mitchell, OC ‘21, is an East Asian Studies major with a politics minor and international studies concentration. Jasmine’s passion for expanding diversity, equity, and inclusion, and community building has led her to serve as a committee member of the Presidential Initiative on Racial Equity and Diversity and work as a Residential Assistant for the Afrikan Heritage House. She also serves as Vice-Chair for Oberlin Student Senate. In addition to her dedication to inclusive excellence on campus, Jasmine’s commitment to peer support and mentorship has also led her to work as a Peer Advisor for the Career Development Center and Peer Advising Leader. She has held internships with the U.S. Department of State, Washington International Trade Association, and worked with Oberlin’s Luce Initiative on Asian Studies and the Environment. During her Fellowship, Jasmine hopes to continue her research on Afro-Asian solidarity movements and to deepen her understanding of diversity within cross-cultural collaboration to prepare for a public diplomacy career.

Leina Fieleke '21 is majoring in East Asian Studies, Psychology, and Art History. Leina spends much of her time at Oberlin engaging in and facilitating cross-cultural learning as the chair of the Japanese Student Association, a Luce Initiative on Asian Studies and the Environment (LIASE) student assistant, and the Curatorial and Education Assistant in Asian art at the Allen Memorial Art Museum. As a Mellon Mays Undergraduate Research Fellow, Leina also has conducted independent research on museum accessibility for two years. With the support of Shansi's In-Asia grant, Leina furthered her knowledge of Japanese art and museums by interning at the Maruki Gallery in Saitama, Japan. Leina first discovered her enthusiasm for teaching as a docent, which she then grew as a Ninde Scholars Program Tutor. As a Shansi Fellow, Leina is excited to bring her commitment to education and accessibility to J.F. Oberlin, where she will work towards her goals of becoming a better educator and improving her knowledge of Japanese language and culture.