How your Gonzaga education has impacted your life, both on campus at work as well as in your day-to-day life?
Growing up in the suburbs of San Francisco, I never imagined myself attending a college out of state. I found out about Gonzaga as a high school senior when my counselor, a Zag alumnus, highly recommended that I apply. Without visiting, I committed to the university and I am sincerely grateful for my decision.
At Gonzaga, I was challenged to grow intellectually, spiritually, culturally, physically and emotionally. I was supported and encouraged to think in new ways and guided to expand my horizons. During the summer before my junior year, I studied abroad in Zambia, Africa where I befriended individuals who had different upbringings, yet we developed deep relationships by being genuine and authentic. One of the most distinct memories from Zambia is walking to a nearby street market with a local Zambian and telling each other our funniest jokes. Despite being from different backgrounds, we acknowledged that we were both human and that was enough. I remain in contact with some of my Zambian friends. We share our life stories, both sorrows and joys, and are able to sympathize with each other because we have a human connection.
Gonzaga has educated me in and out of the classroom. I learned more about myself and who I strived to be. As stated in the mission statement, Gonzaga “intentionally develops the whole person”. My understanding of the importance of acknowledging each individual as human and meeting others where they are influence me in my work and daily life to this day. When I have the opportunity to sit with a student, I honor their story and who they are in that moment. The same interaction is carried out among my friends and family members. It is because of GU and the support I received to grow in multiple ways that I appreciate and have a growing interest in befriending individuals from different backgrounds than me — to sit together and expand our knowledge about each other.
I strive to continue to develop relationships with people so that I can surround myself with those who encourage me to think differently. It is through others that I am able to learn more about life and how I can be an asset to this world – striving for more, what we call “magis”. In learning about others, I hope I am able to walk alongside the life of students and peers. Through Gonzaga, it has become engrained in me to continue to work towards being a woman for and with others.
Hikaru Yamaguchi
Admission Counselor