With an upbringing that spanned four countries, Vivien Yiu states that she has “always been passionate about culture and human development.” This drove her to pursue and earn a Ph.D. in Psychology and Education at Penn’s Graduate School of Education.
Vivien’s educational experience at Penn inspired her commitment to bridging research and practice through evidence-based programming. As the Graduate Chair of the International Student Advisory Board (ISAB), she organized interviews with international students and singlehandedly coded hundreds of survey responses in order to capture the community’s diverse set of experiences.
"As an international student myself, I center my work around the well-being of Penn’s international community and I believe I have been able to create tangible impact through my leadership role."
With her knack for data visualization, Vivien used her findings to tell a data-driven story of the broad range of international student challenges, interests, and needs at Penn. These findings have been used by offices across campus in their efforts to make their services more inclusive of Penn’s international community.
Vivien also promoted diversity and inclusion on campus by becoming a trained restorative practice facilitator, helping to lead healing spaces for Asians and Asian Americans impacted by the increase in hatred and racially motivated attacks against these communities. With a keen awareness of the COVID-19 pandemic’s unique impact on Penn’s international community, Vivien worked closely with Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) to develop a variety of events and initiatives to promote mental wellness among international students.
