Riko Hayano
Alfred State College
Riko Hayano, a third year student at Alfred State College, is a highly respected student leader committed to enriching the community and promoting growth through shared experience. Riko provides intercultural programming for inbound and outbound international students supporting programs like the CommUnity Potlucks and International 101. These initiatives enable students and staff to come together to learn and teach one another. Riko played a part in re- launching WILD (Women Inspiring Leadership Development) and serves as a liaison between students and the Center for Intercultural Unity advocating for underrepresented students. She also serves as a Diversity RA programming for her residence hall and the entire campus around issues of diversity and inclusion. She seeks to foster dialogue and programming around intersections of identity, share her experiences, and get students involved. Riko is a true community builder at heart.
Personal Statement
I am overall a passionate, driven, dedicated, community-committed leader. I also consider myself a young professional and I expect the same for every other student I interact with on a day to day basis. Being not only an international student but also a student of color, I feel like I have a voice to be heard and power to change my community to be a better, more inclusive place. I genuinely love helping others, and I don't expect anything in return. I believe that my purpose of being in Alfred is to help, and by helping I mean motivating/empowering others and to form a unity together to be better individuals as a whole.
