Yue Sasaki ’26 is a long way from home. As an international student, she has traveled from Tokyo, Japan to attend the small and supportive community Hiram is known for. “I chose Hiram as my second home,” said Sasaki. “I did not know anyone on this continent before I came here.”

As president of the Intercultural Forum Club on campus, Sasaki is working on reorganizing and revitalizing the organization as it once was one of the largest clubs on campus. “It has been challenging since Covid,” she said. Sasaki also serves as an international peer assistant and connects students from varying countries to help foster “people’s openness to diversity and culture.”

As a student speaking English as their second language, Sasaki is encouraged by the support she has received at Hiram. “Hiram has been a great support and a wonderful opportunity to start my college career. It was challenging for me to study abroad, but knowing the English language is a must in order to study women’s rights,” she said. “This community made me more confident and comfortable in challenging my ambitions.”

Sasaki is still deciding on what direction and degree would best suit her as her interests are vast. Currently, she is exploring women’s studies and computer science to understand the obstacles women experience in STEM. One of her goals is to work in a male-dominated field as a social experiment and is planning on pursuing a master’s degree in Europe or New Zealand. “My final goal is to bring back my experiences from those countries to my home country,” said Sasaki.

Yue’s advice for prospective students:

“If you are passionate about learning and challenging something new, Hiram College is the right place for you. There are many supportive and attentive professors on campus. They remember you, they care about you, and they are always helpful.”