Professor to teach in Japan

By: Chris Fort
Contributing Writer

Every year, there are always at least a few professors from Monmouth College who leave for career opportunities elsewhere. Some are merely sabbaticals, while others are for institutions entirely different. The benefits they bring to the table are gone.

The 2007-2008 academic year will be the first since 2001 that Don Capener, associate professor of political economy and commerce will not be at Monmouth.

In August, he will be leaving for Japan.

No stranger to the land of the rising sun, Capener has visited Japan the past three years, taking students and faculty alike with him. This time, however, he will be bringing his family along, as he plans to teach for a full year.

“My kids are really excited,” Capener admitted. “They can’t wait.”

Capener will be teaching at Waseda University in the bustling city of Tokyo. To get such an opportunity is an accomplishment not to be taken lightly.

Capener was elected from a pool of professors in the Associate Colleges of the Midwest (ACM) by the faculty director for his expertise and experience. While there, Capener will be conducting classes on international business, some of which he currently teaches at Monmouth.

While he has visited Japan a few times already, this will be the first time in years he has stayed for an extended period of time. When he was a sophomore in college, Capener spent two years as a missionary in Japan, giving him knowledge of a culture few people will ever get to experience.

Not only will this be a chance for him to hark back to his college days, it will also give him the chance to further his research on the Japanese economy. Capener helps consult major corporations such as Ebay and the National Hockey League, among others, on advertising. This trip will only benefit his career.

“It’s exciting,” Capener confessed with a smile. “It’s a really good opportunity.”