My name is Yao-Yu Liu and I am from the island nation(pending) of Taiwan. I am a very pragmatic and sarcastic person but I do enjoy helping others. Volunteering is a rewarding experience to me and I enjoy it greatly. The Taiwanese pride themselves as being one of the most welcoming and hospitable peoples in Far East Asia and I carry that pride with me every day. In high school, I was a member of the National Honor Society which required a set amount of volunteer hours. This led me to volunteer at a nursing home by performing the cello for the elderly. Seeing their faces beam with delight was one of the most rewarding experience I have had the honor of witnessing in my rather short life. I also led a Traditional Lion Dance group for the local Taiwanese community. Sharing my culture with others is one of my missions as a Taiwanese person. Letting others experience another culture promotes diversity so that one day we may see an end to racial discrimination.

I chose the International Affairs Scholar Program because I am passionate about globalization and the effect it has had on our society today. One of the main goals for me as an IA Scholar is to promote diversity and inclusion of all races and cultures. I believe that OSU does a great job at promoting these two ideas and I do not see much bigotry or ignorance on campus.