For Nora Yasumura -- Dartmouth's first programming liaison for Asian Pacific American students -- her interest in Asian American affairs stems from stories about her Japanese American father's internment in California during World War II.
Yasumura said her father's struggles and the hardship of those interned during the second World War has taught her about discrimination on a national scale.
"I was stirred to provide support for all people," she said.
In her new role at the College, Yasumura serves as an advocate for the Asian Pacific American community, a group that has previously never had an advisor, addressing personal, social and academic issues surrounding Asian American life.
Yasumura saw a great capacity to be of service and "to make a real difference" in the lives of the Dartmouth's APA students. She perceived in the Dartmouth administration a movement toward cultural and ethnic sensitivity, both of which have always been close to her home and heart, Yasumura said.
Yasumura grew up in a diverse suburb of New York City. The student body of her public elementary school was comprised of a variety of different races, ethnicities, and classes. As a member of a multiracial family, early on in life she was, "stirred to look at my identity and gain pride in all aspects of who I am."
As an undergraduate student at the University of Vermont, she was actively involved in its Asian American Student Union.
Yasumura said she has found everyone she has come in contact with at Dartmouth to be "wonderfully supportive."
Yasumura said she finds the prospect of working with college-age students exciting because she enjoys "the energy and creativity" of college students. She said she also recognizes college as an exciting but stressful time for all students.
She said she finds the position at Dartmouth to be the perfect marriage of two of her most pronounced interests: Asian American issues and social work.
A counselor with a degree in social work from New York University, Yasumura called her style of working with students "solution-oriented." She focuses on assisting students in learning from their mistakes and growing from them. As a guide and adviser, she would like to help students "make lemons into lemonade," and to grow emotionally from difficult situations.
Currently, Yasumura is working to gather ideas from students, faculty and administrators on how to fill the needs of APA students at Dartmouth.
Yasumura's job entails helping APA organizations -- such as the Dartmouth Asian Organization and Milan -- at the College communicate with each other and helps students plan programming events for their respective organizations. She works as the administrative liaison in charge or securing funding and arranging guest speakers and events.
She is currently working with Dartmouth's Pan Asian Council, a non-affiliated organization of independent individuals interested in promoting awareness and support services for Asian American students.
Yasumura will also concentrate on continuing projects and programs already started by Dartmouth faculty, staff members, and students. These programs include the Asian American Studies program, the organization of orientation activities to better welcome APA students to campus, lectures and conferences held with Asian and Asian American leaders, and the Asian film festival, which was held for the first time last year.
Yasumura also devotes much of her time to raising awareness of Asian issues among all Dartmouth students. She also serves as link between the students of Dartmouth, alumni, and other colleges and universities.
However, Yasumura said she hopes that someday her efforts will extend beyond Hanover. She said she hopes to one day develop policies that help support Asian American students in all parts of the country.
Yasumura is one of a few recently hired staff and faculty members whose primary focus is on Asian and Asian Pacific American issues. Yenkuei Chuang was hired last year as a counselor at Dick's House. She will also hold informal hours at Yasumura's office in Collis so she will be more accessible to students.
In addition, Professor Vernon Takeshita, who first came to Dartmouth as a visiting professor, recently received his tenure from the College. Takeshita specializes in the areas of Asian and Asian American studies.
Takeshita, who some thought would leave the College after he was offered tenure at Yale University last spring, was previously the only professor at Dartmouth teaching Asian American studies classes.
