As we celebrated our 60th anniversary this past year, I had the great honor and pleasure to connect with many alumni including some who were volunteers in Asia during our earlier years and also recent participants who joined our programs in the San Francisco Bay Area from Asia. Even though the programs which our alumni joined may be quite different, I find it remarkable how VIA has impacted so many individuals in similar ways, that is, by giving people the opportunity to build cross-cultural empathy, reflect on what kind of person they want to become, and pursue new paths that have shaped their lives. This is also certainly true for myself, experiencing VIA as a participant from Japan as a college student, eventually pursuing a graduate degree in the US, and then joining VIA as a staff member. You can also read how other alumni were impacted by VIA through the stories shared on p. 5 of this report.
VIA Programs 2022-23 Annual Report
