Voices of Jelper Club Members — Tony Wang, Yale University ’26

This time, we spoke with Tony Wang, a senior at Yale University studying computer science.

Originally interested in architecture and design, Tony discovered computer science through the fast-paced “build loop” of software—something that completely reshaped his path at Yale. In 2023, he received a fellowship that funded a full year of study abroad in Tokyo, where he studied Japanese at International Christian University (ICU), conducted research at the University of Tokyo, and worked at an edtech startup supporting tools for teachers.

In this interview, Tony shares how his early connection to Japan shaped his decision to learn Japanese, what he gained from spending a year in Tokyo, why he’s planning to work at a Japanese tech company that he found through the Jelper Club platform and how Jelper Club helped him connect with peers and navigate job-hunting processes. He also shares practical advice for anyone considering Japan—especially those interested in startups.

Tony Wang

―― First, could you please introduce yourself?

Tony: I’m Tony Wang, a senior at Yale studying computer science. In 2023, I took a fellowship to study abroad in Tokyo, Japan, where I studied at International Christian University (ICU) and focused on Japanese language.

While I was abroad, I also had the opportunity to conduct research at the University of Tokyo, where I worked on building a personal learning companion chatbot. And I also interned at an edtech startup, where I worked on software to help teachers make better lessons.

Now I’m finishing up classes at Yale and preparing to work in Japan after graduation.

―― Why did you choose Yale?

Tony: When I was applying to colleges, I actually wanted to be an architecture major at first. In high school, I was always good at mathematics, but I was also really interested in computer-aided design—so I was drawn to the intersection of technical and visual fields.

I remember seeing a Yale promotional video that focused on combining two different fields and exploring the intersection between them. They call this the “spirit of ‘and.’” This means thinking in the overlap between fields and finding a new voice there. This felt really aligned with who I am. I like engineering, but I’m also very interested in visual arts, so Yale’s education philosophy really resonated with me.

―― Did you keep studying architecture after entering Yale?

Tony: In my first year, I was coffee-chatting with licensed architects and taking architecture-related classes. Yale has distributional requirements, so you end up exploring a lot as well; languages, humanities, sciences, and so on.

But as I explored architecture more, I realized it wasn’t quite where I wanted to go. The pace of building physical things felt slow and bureaucratic. The same is true in a lot of engineering fields too. When you build a physical product, it takes large stretches of time to see it through.

Then I took CS50, which is a software engineering class co-taught between Harvard and Yale. I became hooked on how quickly you can build apps and iterate in software. That speed really pulled me into computer science.

―― How did you first become interested in Japan?

Tony: My interest in Japan started when I was around 10 years old. I have a twin brother, and we used to watch anime together. My parents have always loved Japan, so growing up I also was always eating Japanese food and listening to Japanese music. When I got to Yale and found out I had to take language credits, I thought, “I might as well explore Japanese.”

Once I started taking Japanese classes at Yale, I really fell in love with it. It’s super interesting and cognitively stimulating—also some of the hardest classes at Yale—so part of it was taking on that challenge.

―― How did you end up studying abroad at ICU in Tokyo?

Tony: During my sophomore year, there was an opportunity to apply for a fellowship that funds study abroad in any East Asian language-speaking country for up to a year.

There were checkboxes for summer, fall, and spring. I originally wanted to do just summer, but it was really tempting to select all of them, so I did. Before I knew it, I received the fellowship to study abroad for a full year.

I was drawn to Tokyo because it’s one of the few cities where thoughtful design and robust technology systems intersect. At the same time, I wanted a stellar Japanese language education. ICU offered me the rare opportunity to immerse myself in both.

―― What did you do during your year in Japan besides studying at ICU?

Tony: In addition to studying Japanese at ICU, I conducted research at the University of Tokyo. I worked on building a personal learning companion chatbot using knowledge graphs.

I also interned at an edtech startup, where I worked on tooling for teachers who were building lessons inside the company. It was a great experience to work in a fast-paced environment and building something that supports real users.

―― Are you planning to work in Japan after graduation?

Tony: Up until recently, I was applying to jobs in both Japan and the U.S. It was a bit difficult to decide where to build a career, given everything happening globally. Eventually, I decided to join a startup in Tokyo that I found through the Jelper Club platform. The reasoning is kind of three-fold.

First, I wanted to challenge myself. When you study abroad, you get a lot of support from your university, which means you don’t experience the city in the same way a Tokyo-native would. By working in Tokyo, you naturally discover the problems people experience daily that can be solved with good software.

The second is a personal one: I became Christian in Japan during my study abroad. After I returned to Yale, I met lots of great Christian mentors and professors who poured into me. With new skills, I hope to spend my free time serving the local church there.

Thirdly, I just really like Japan. It’s widely regarded as a region with great food and an epicenter of thoughtful design. When you’re young, it feels like one of the best times to do something you’ve always wanted to do, before bigger responsibilities make it harder.

―― How did you find out about Jelper Club?

Tony: I found out about it through a friend from Yale. We studied abroad together at ICU, and he told me about Jelper Club and I signed up and created an account then.

But I became much more active after the CEO came to Yale in spring 2024. There was a presentation about Jelper Club, and after that I started applying to companies through the platform.

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

Tony: It’s been great. One feature I really like is the discussion feature. It’s useful for keeping up with different processes you’re in and learning from what other people are experiencing.

Also, Jelper Club helped me connect with people in a really unexpected way. I used it to communicate with other students who were going to intern in Japan. At first everything was anonymous, but eventually I got someone’s number and texted them—and it turned out they were a Harvard student also studying CS. Eventually, we met up at the Harvard-Yale football game and eventually became good friends through that connection.

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

Tony: In terms of job hunting in Japan, I really recommend looking at startups. Startups can be very eager to hire, but they often don’t know where to find the right people. So it doesn’t hurt to draft a cold email and reach out directly. You never really know what might happen.

I’m happy to give advice to those of you who are pursuing similar paths in startups, research, or language study in Japan. And if you’ll be in Tokyo this summer and are interested in design, tech, or philosophy, I’d love to meet you! Feel free to reach out to me through Jelper Club.

At Jelper Club, we’re committed to connecting ambitious students and graduates with unique opportunities across Japan. Whether you’re aiming for a startup role like Tony or exploring a different path, our platform helps 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.