Wooster student builds community and pursues activism through APEX Fellowship

Silas Koyama ’27, a sophomore at the College of Wooster, spent the summer completing an APEX fellowship at World Fellowship program, a non-profit educational retreat center that focuses on social justice and relaxation in Albany, New Hampshire. Koyama took part in discussions about social justice and had the opportunity to hear many visiting activists speak. Through his internship, he developed his academic interests and his personal values in a community-based setting. He used his internship experience to ground his studies at Wooster and began to narrow down his decision to potentially major in philosophy or communication studies.  

“It is easy for interns to feel disconnected, especially in a new environment with standards and goals that are new to them. But by grounding myself in the community, I began to value and understand the mission of the organization and more importantly the values of the people who keep it together.” 

— Silas Koyama 

Q: How did you learn about the opportunity for your APEX fellowship? 

Koyama: I have been a visitor to the World Fellowship Center, and my father recommended I apply. I think that interning for this organization was the best role I could have had, as it meant I could have more freedom, and I was able to be more productive and learn new skills. 

Q: What were some of the things you did each day? 

Koyama: Each day I would support staff with tasks like dishwashing, making coffee, sweeping, and mopping floors. I also participated in discussions that involved topics like activism, social justice, and human rights. Activists would visit, speak, and perform to educate guests on ventures of past and current activist organizing. 

Q: Who was your fellowship mentor and how did they help you to succeed in this position? 

Koyama: Jennifer Ison, associate professor of biology, was my mentor throughout my internship, she guided me, providing me with alternate ways of thinking about the situations and setbacks I faced. She sympathized with my struggles and offered her support through her own experience and real-life examples. 

Q: What are some skills you’ve learned that you see yourself carrying forward in your career? 

Koyama: I feel that the most valuable skills I learned were interpersonal communication and relationship building. It is easy for interns to feel disconnected, especially in a new environment with standards and goals that are new to them. But by grounding myself in the community, I began to value and understand the mission of the organization and more importantly the values of the people who keep it together. 

Q: What resources and strategies have you used to search for a major that is a good fit for you? 

Koyama: My best resource for exploring majors has been office hours, I often visit my professors and ask about their opinions on my skills and my interests. I use APEX a lot as well and have gone and visited the office hours of most of the people there. 

Posted in Experiential Learning, Showcase Stories 2024 on August 10, 2024.