Voices of Jelper Club Members — Sharif Hassen, Yale University ’27

This time, we spoke with Sharif Hassen, a junior at Yale University studying sociology with a concentration in economics. Born in New York City and raised in Abu Dhabi, Sharif’s path to Japan began not through anime or manga, but through music—Japanese marching bands and jazz fusion in particular. What started as self-study eventually led him to take Japanese lessons at the embassy in Abu Dhabi, continue Japanese through Yale, and spend a semester studying in Tokyo at ICU.

In this interview, Sharif shares why he chose Yale, how language learning shaped his academic direction, what he learned from living in Tokyo for half a year, and how he hopes to connect his interests in public policy, welfare, and immigration to future work or research in Japan. He also talks about how he discovered Jelper Club and what he’s enjoyed most on the platform so far.

Sharif Hassen

―― First, could you please introduce yourself?

Sharif: Yeah. So my name is Sharif. I was born in New York City, and I grew up in Abu Dhabi in the UAE—actually, that’s where I am right now. I went to high school here, and I started learning Japanese here too, first mostly by myself because I got really interested. Then I started taking lessons at the Japanese embassy as well, and I kept studying Japanese through college.

I go to Yale University. I’m a junior now. I study sociology with a concentration in economics. It took me a while to figure out what I wanted to focus on. I started with linguistics and even did a bit of CS, but eventually I realized the intersection of what I cared about was people, institutions, and communities.

I’ve also been taking Japanese at Yale, and I just spent my last fall semester in Tokyo studying at ICU.

―― You grew up in Abu Dhabi—why did you choose to go to Yale in the U.S.?

Sharif: I always kind of wanted to go back to the States. I feel at home there since I was born in New York, and universities in the U.S. are international anyway, so I felt like I could still have that global environment.

For me, music was also a huge part of the decision. I play the bassoon, and I’m involved in orchestras and band. Music is a big part of my life, and Yale’s music environment—especially at the undergraduate level—is really strong. That influenced my decision a lot.

And I also wanted a university with a strong liberal arts focus and a big humanities focus. That was a major reason too.

―― How is life at Yale?

Sharif: It’s great. Everyone is super ambitious—almost to an insane degree. People really want to do well academically, do well in their clubs, and do all these different things, including music. It can be tiring sometimes, but it’s also a really fun atmosphere. It motivates you to get out of your shell and try many things.

―― How did you first become interested in Japan?

Sharif: It actually started through music. When people ask that question, they often assume anime or manga, but I wasn’t really into that. I was just super into music.

I got really interested in Japanese marching bands and also Japanese jazz fusion. One of my favorite bands since middle school has been T-SQUARE. I’ve listened to them for a long time.

Then in ninth grade, I started learning Japanese. My older sister was learning Korean, and that influenced me to try learning another language too. I was learning Spanish in school, and I found language learning itself really interesting. It clicked with me, so I just kept going.

―― You recently studied in Tokyo. How long were you in ICU?

Sharif: Half a year. I spent last fall semester in Tokyo at ICU. It was through a Yale study abroad opportunity supported by a fellowship, and I took sociology and economics classes there.

It was a super great experience, especially because ICU is such an international environment. And it was also the first time I had been in Japan for a substantial amount of time.

―― Did you have experiences in Japan before ICU?

Sharif: Yeah. I had been to Japan a couple of times before. After my first year of college, I went to Japan for a summer and studied at a language school—it was in a smaller area south of Tokyo. It was also just really affordable.

Then the next summer, I went back through HLAB’s summer school program, which was in the Nagano area. So I had visited Japan before, but studying in Tokyo for three months and being there more consistently really made a bigger impact.

I fell in love with Tokyo. And being in an environment like ICU made me feel like it would be really cool to bring my Japanese skills and my global background into work or study connected to Japan—whether that’s working there or even grad school.

―― What kinds of things do you want to do after graduation?

Sharif: Lately I’ve been thinking about consulting. I’ve been applying for consulting roles—both generalist management consulting and economic consulting.

Some of my favorite classes at Yale have been economics, public policy, and welfare-related topics. And Japan is especially interesting in that context because of big issues like immigration and the aging population. So if I could do economic consulting in Japan, or even strategy consulting more broadly, that’s something I find really interesting.

―― How did you find out about Jelper Club?

Sharif: I got an email from Yale’s Japanese department. I think it might have been through the department.

It seemed like exactly the kind of platform I would be interested in, so I joined. I’ve been on it for a bit, and recently I finished setting up my account more fully.

―― What has your experience been like using Jelper Club?

Sharif: I think it’s a great platform. I enjoy the chat feature the most. I’ve reached out to some people who were featured in the spotlights, and it’s been really nice to connect directly with people.

I also like how easy it is to see a job that’s interesting and just send your resume right away. The process feels smooth.

I haven’t been able to attend meetups yet because I’ve been in the UAE, but hopefully when I’m back in the States I’ll be able to join some events too.

―― Lastly, do you have any advice for fellow Jelper Club members?

Sharif: I think studying the language is really important. For me, it’s been the best way to find interests—culturally, socially, and even professionally. It also helps you navigate differences between Japan and the U.S. in how job hunting and work systems operate. It’s still different for me applying as a non-Japanese, but Japanese skills have definitely helped me understand the process more clearly.

And honestly, language keeps you motivated. When job hunting gets stressful and you feel demotivated, studying Japanese—or even just engaging with the language casually—can help you reset and remember why you’re interested in Japan in the first place.

At Jelper Club, we’re committed to connecting ambitious students and graduates with unique opportunities across Japan. Whether you’re building a career path connected to Japan like Sharif or exploring other fields, our platform can help you discover exclusive openings, access practical resources, and join a community of globally-minded peers. Register with Jelper Club today to expand your opportunities and connect with members worldwide.