Program Director Lina Yamashita recently had a chance to chat with four Medical Exchange and Discovery (MED) and Exploring Health Care (EHC) alumni: Anna Kokubu (MED 2017 alum, EHC 2018 fellow), Asuka Fujihashi (EHC 2018 alum), Mariko Nishihara (MED 2017
The Exploring Social Innovation (ESI) program, currently held twice a year in Silicon Valley and once a year in China, offers young changemakers from across Asia an opportunity to learn innovative ways to make the world a better place by
Dear VIA alumni, friends, and supporters,
Greetings from VIA. We hope this message finds you safe and well at an unprecedented time as we deal with the spread of COVID-19. As you have seen in the news, here in California,
This spring we are looking forward to having an amazing team joining Program Director
2005 Bali Summer Immersion alumna Laura Shirreff shares her reflections on a global journey exploring the intersection of sustainability, design, and culture.
How did you become interested in this particular VIA program and the topic of Fair Trade?
I was
In June, VIA held its first Alumni Leadership Summit as part of a new initiative in building a sustainable, engaged, and interconnected alumni community. Alumni spanning 8 years of VIA experiences and 8 different programs gathered in Chiang Mai for
This summer we are looking forward to having an amazing team of social innovation coordinators for the July and August Exploring Social Innovation programs. Learn more about these energetic innovators who are excited to inspire the next generation of changemakers
VIA Experience
How did you first become involved with VIA?
I became aware of VIA when Dwight Clark visited Grove House during my sophomore year. I was interested in international issues because of my past (born in Prague, Czech mother,
Aiko Takeuchi-Demirci, PhD, joined VIA’s American Culture & Society program at Stanford University in 2001. Her interest in cross-cultural learning and the US led her to return for a graduate degree and ultimately influenced the evolution of her PhD research.
Dr. Eric Larson joined VIA’s volunteer program in Hong Kong in 1968. This international service experience was the beginning of a rich career in medicine and medical research. This year, Dr. Larson released his book, Enlightened Aging: Building Resilience for
