Maren Fossum-Wernick ’26
Staff Writer
When newly-elected first year class president, Rebecca Yao, joined me for coffee at the Motley on Sunday, it wasn’t long before I recognized the warmth and vibrancy she exuded. She walked through the doors with a lightness in her step and a smile on her face, waving to several people before approaching me for our interview. I offered my congratulations on her win, which she modestly and happily accepted, and we settled into the couch to dive into the important questions.
Yao is from Massachusetts, fifteen minutes outside Boston. She chose Scripps for many reasons, but its location was the original draw. Having grown up on the East Coast, she wanted a new adventure far from home. At the beginning of her college search, Yao thought a big school would better support her “big personality.” She came to realize, however, that she was better suited to the small school environment, and Scripps seemed like the perfect choice. She has loved being able to form genuine connections with her professors and actively participate in stimulating class discussions. “Everyone is really welcoming,” she added, “it’s a really nice environment.”
Yao’s first month at school has been mostly wonderful, but she admitted that adjusting to college life can be difficult. She wanted other first years to know they’re not alone in feeling overwhelmed. She noticed that many people have already formed and settled into friend groups. This isn’t a negative thing, she told me, but she’s passionate about working to make the Scripps community a more cohesive and less exclusive environment.
Involvement in student government and extracurriculars is not new to Yao. She was on the student council all four years of high school, as class president in her freshman year and vice president in her senior year. She was also on the Nordic skiing and volleyball teams. It was in the student council that Yao discovered her passion for event planning and organizing. Last December, Yao worked tirelessly to create a new, exciting event for every day of the entire month: spirit days, candy cane hand-outs, frozen yogurt fundraisers, scavenger hunts, ice skating, and more. She found this work incredibly rewarding. In her senior year, her school community grew much closer, partially due to her hard work.
“To get your whole class to attend an event is so difficult,” she admitted. “People don’t want to go when they think other people aren’t going.” Having seen their benefits, Rebecca is determined to increase participation in school-sponsored events this year.
When asked what she wanted the first year class to know about her, Yao took a moment to think and responded genuinely, “I’m really extroverted and will be excited to talk to anyone who approaches me.” She knows that her position only carries so much power, but she’s incredibly motivated to do what she can to make improvements. She wants to be approachable and accessible and emphasizes that she is here to support her classmates.
As Yao also works at the Motley and her Friday shifts are incredibly slow, she encourages people to stop by to chat from 6:30 to 8:00 pm. She’d love to hear any feedback or ideas. Or, if you need help with anything, she can try her best to lead you in the right direction and connect you with people who can help.
Yao’s advice for her fellow first years is to “Sign up for random shit!” She encourages students to go to all the meetings they signed up for during the club fair or to go to the Makerspace and the Hive, which are fun, relaxing ways to meet new people. Students who are a part of a marginalized group on campus can also sign up for affinity groups if they are searching to foster identity-based community. And most importantly: use Google Calendar! She’s found balancing social life and extracurriculars with academics especially challenging and admitted bashfully that she needs to improve her time management. I think we can all relate.
Our first year class is in good hands. Rebecca Yao is an experienced and passionate student bound to bring fresh, exciting ideas to Scripps College.
Image Source: Frances Walton ’26
