HU Journalism Student Gains Perspective from Japan Study Trip

Painting the World Blue and White

 
Hampton University students, faculty, and alumni are making a global impact this summer. Students and faculty have embarked on internships, study abroad, and research opportunities all over the U.S. and the world. This blog series will feature Hamptonians on their travels this summer.  #HUworld 

HU Journalism Student Gains Perspective from Japan Study Trip

Dorsey atop the Kobe Nunobiki Herb Gardens, where he made his way up there via cable car.

HU Rising Senior Brandon Theo Dorsey, from Houston, TX, learned more than just how to say “thank you” in Japanese from his recent nine-day excursion to Japan.

Earlier this year, the Scripps Howard Foundation announced Dorsey as one of the nine top journalism college students in the nation, and he was further awarded an all expense-paid journalism study trip to Japan.

This was Dorsey's first trip outside the country and he quickly realized the lack of diversity in Japan.

“In America we are used to diversity, but in Japan [the students and I] were the diversity,” said Dorsey, adding that he was the only black student on the trip.

“In everything I did there, from presenting to asking questions and even my mannerism, I felt like I was representing my entire race,” said Dorsey.

Dorsey and his fellow top student journalists at Kinkakujo (The Golden Pavilion) in Kyoto, Japan. 

While in Japan, he was exposed to the culture of journalism in a completely different setting, learning from both the Japanese culture and fellow top student journalists.

While abroad, Dorsey said he was cognizant not to generalize people from just one experience.

He also explored the cities of Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, and Tokyo, as well as Hiroshima, the first city in world history to be devastated by an atomic bomb.

The Memorial Cenotaph at Hiroshima Peace Park-- the monument is aligned to frame the Peace Flame and the A-Bomb Dome between it.

Meeting a survivor from the Hiroshima atomic bomb and listening to his story was a blessing for Dorsey. Dorsey explained it as a heroic tale, further changing his life and maturing how he interprets life battles, both big and small.

The trip changed Dorsey's life because he was used to thinking “in-the-box”, but since being “out-of-the-box” in Japan, he has a new perspective that had to be experienced to realize.

Dorsey at a shopping district in Tokyo, Japan.

“I was all about sports since I’m a sports journalism major, but now I understand and appreciate things outside of that. I believe this will allow me to have a better outlook and deeper depth in my reporting,” said Dorsey.

Dorsey said he’s grateful to the E.W. Scripps Howard Foundation for seeing his potential and investing in it in a major way, and to HU for giving him the confidence and skills to make the most of every opportunity.

-Gianina Thompson