After the Cold War: Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and Russia Jay Chen

JAY DIANSHIN CHEN is a University English Teacher at East Kazakhstan State University in Ust-Kamenogorsk, Kazakhstan. He graduated from the University of California, Berkeley in 2005, where he double majored in Political Science and Legal Studies, focusing primarily on East Asian politics and international relations.

Two weeks after graduation, he boarded a plane for Kazakhstan as a Peace Corps volunteer. From 2005-2007 he worked in northeastern Kazakhstan, teaching English to local students, teachers, and other members of the community. In addition to teaching, he established local English discussion clubs and movie clubs. At East Kazakhstan State University, Chen instituted numerous projects that were later added to the curriculum, including TOEFL courses and Academic Essay and Composition Writing courses. He also established “The Sun” newspaper with students, creating the first independent student-created English newspaper in the region.