The following op-ed about the student-run organization Take a Tampon is part of a series during Inclusive Excellence Awareness Month, highlighting the voices around campus that make this university special. Kotomi Yokokura is a Chellgren Fellow and a student in the College of Social Work at the University of Kentucky.
By Lindsey PiercyUniversity of KentuckyWhat does it mean to be a changemaker?Kotomi Yokokura has been asking herself that very question for as long as she can remember.“Understanding t
Kotomi Yokokura’s story begins in Northern Kentucky, where she was born and raised. At a young age, she became passionate about advocating for the most vulnerable members of her community. In 2020, Yokokura enrolled at the University of Kentucky and so began her search for a way to turn passion into purpose.
The University of Kentucky’s mission is to improve people's lives through excellence in education, research, creative work, service and health care. By raising the aspirations of UK students; assisting students in realizing their highest academic potential; and inspiring progressive reform and innovation in teaching, learning and curriculum development, the Chellgren Center for Undergraduate Excellence works to ensure that the students and faculty of this university see that mission through.