Kyoka Oyama | 2026 I.S. Symposium
狈补尘别:听Kyoka Oyama
Title: What brought you here?: Exploring Asian International Undergraduate Women鈥檚 Experiences for Studying in U.S. Liberal Arts Colleges
惭补箩辞谤:听Psychology
础诲惫颈蝉辞谤:听Meredith Hope
For my Independent Study, I chose to focus on my own community: Asian international college women at U.S. liberal arts colleges. I wanted this project to reflect not only my own experiences, but also those of the many women who have supported me throughout my time at 黑料社. Through countless conversations with friends from this community, I realized that although we come from different backgrounds, circumstances, and personal goals, we all somehow found our way here. That realization stayed with me, and it sparked my curiosity and ultimately led me to explore how motivation and social support shape the academic performance of Asian international college women. From the findings of the study, it was found that intrinsic motivation plays a central role in academic success which highlights the importance of fostering curiosity, autonomy, and self-directed learning through meaningful challenges and exploration. Additionally, it was also found that strong social support from multiple sources including friends, professors, and family is essential for helping students feel connected, supported, and ultimately achieve academic success. These results suggest that academic outcomes are shaped by the interplay of motivation, social support, and cultural context and highlights the need for colleges to create more supportive, inclusive, and engaging environments for international students.
Posted in Symposium 2026 on May 1, 2026.
