Each year, a group of faculty and staff from the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences selects a graduating senior to receive the Edith Lesley Wolfard Award. This year, the recipient is Yuka Chen ’20, a political science major with a global studies and communication and media studies double minor.
The winner of this award must demonstrate qualities of leadership, both within and outside of the Lesley community. They must also achieve academic excellence and show a commitment to lifelong learning and professional excellence.
“It was surprising (to win), because I actually know two of the other candidates personally, and they both have really great experience,” says Chen, a native of Taiwan. “It was an honor for me to compete with them.”
During her four years at Lesley, Chen demonstrated professional excellence and a lifelong commitment to learning. She was involved with many on-campus groups, including the Academic Advising Center, where she was a peer advisor, and the International Student Association, on which she served as vice president.
One of Chen’s most valuable experiences at Lesley was becoming an admissions ambassador.
“It was my first time stepping into a leadership role at Lesley, and it helped me grow the most. I’m an international student, and at the time, my English was not very good. Because of this program, I was able to practice my English all the time with students and parents from across the country. It was a great experience for me,” says Chen.
Although her time at Lesley has come to an end, Chen wants to continue making an impact on her community and the world. Inspired by her internship at the International Institute of New England, Chen hopes to become a policy analyst for international affairs so that she can advocate for human rights, particularly for refugees.
