The seminar “Akira Kurosawa and the Japanese Adaptation of William Shakespeare” by Adam McPhail intensified my reflections on the multicultural aspects of art, its role in diverse epochs, its moral components. I proposed to study the Kurosawa masterworks for our school movie club and my proposal was unanimously accepted: I had the possibility to share my newly found knowledge with my French peers.
To me, the word community is inspiring. It gives me a reason to keep working hard. YYGS did this for me. The people I met inspired me to be better in all aspects of my life, even the most mundane: how you do anything is how you do everything. By this I mean that YYGS taught me to approach all endeavors in life —no matter how simple or grand— with my best effort and attitude. I will always be grateful for this lesson.
My favorite seminar was titled the “Bioethics of Organ Donation ” as it connected my academic profile with my personal interests. These were combined through this seminar as it brought to light the struggles that the medical industry goes through, not just with the difficulties of the process itself but the morality that goes along with it. YYGS changed my life in a way that made me appreciate all that I experience and use it to live by.
Since I attended Yale Young Global Scholars (YYGS) last summer, my life has changed in a number of ways. I become more interested in current affairs and global issues, and more aware of the interconnectedness. I’ve also gained confidence in my ability to communicate and collaborate with people from different backgrounds and cultures. Most importantly, I now know that there are many ways to make an impact - you just have to find the one that fits you best!
YYGS showed me that the best way to understand the struggles someone faces is to understand their story. Education is the best way to garner understanding, and I believe that understanding is the first step to revert the systemic inequities in our communities. Through my experience at YYGS, I have been able to come back to my community and take meaningful steps to tackle inequities through education and awareness.
With such an immense focus on nurturing inclusivity, I have been truly touched by the program’s capability to produce a respectful and open environment to share my own unique perspectives while simultaneously learning from others’ distinctive viewpoints. The international friendships I have formed with other peers who are just as passionate as I am has inspired me to create similar inclusive spaces for those in my local community and school.
This was the first time that I was able to connect with people my age and share a strong passion for something. Being a part of YYGS felt like I was and still am part of a family that will last forever. I feel like LPC allowed me to learn more things about myself and about the way that I perceive the world. Working with so many people taught me the endless different perspectives that the world takes on, but how in a way we are still connected as one.
I appreciated the diversity that Yale provided with the options of seminars and the people that presented them. I was put into a seminar that talked about Chinese culture and how it is now impacted by American culture, and it was hosted by a person from Asian descent. As a person of color attending a prestigious university’s summer program, it felt that I was being seen and my take on the world mattered.
My favorite lecture was about the use of technology in medical areas. For example, by designing movable robots, doctors could use them to attract the attention of young patients who suffered ADHD. In this way, the value of technology is not only in these electric devices but also helps more people in need to become healthy.
Our identity is everything that compromises who we are. Getting the opportunity to meet people from different countries and cultures made me realize how deeply rooted my ideas and ways of thinking were in where I came from. This has helped me in the discovery of myself. Although I was nervous, unsure of what to anticipate, and tentative that I might not be able to contribute as much to the program as my colleagues. It turned out that my expectations were unrealistic and YYGS’s community reassured me.
