Correction: The original article misstated the title of a position Takayama worked over the summer.
Kureha Takayama and Pushpak Rane are competing for the position of the Director of Academic Affairs in 2025’s Associated Student general election.
Kureha Takayama
As a third-year transfer student from Butte Community College, Kureha Takayama is in her third semester at Chico State majoring in Computer Information Systems with minors in both Business Administration and Communication Studies. Her inspiration to run for the position of Director of Academic Affairs came from her experiences of obtaining an education in Japan, her work as a Japanese tutor on campus and the deep understanding she gained of the academic resources and student success initiatives Chico State offers to assist international students as a Global Ally.
While studying in her home country, Japan, Takayama found herself questioning the Japanese education system. Takayama said she “sought to understand what best education is and what constitutes an effective learning environment. My challenges with the system fueled my passion for advocating inclusive learning experiences and ultimately led me to pursue higher education in the United States.”
Takayama’s experience as a Japanese tutor at the Student Learning Center, as well as her favorite wildcat memory of volunteering last summer as a Global Ally with the International Education Office, allowed her to witness first had the lack of awareness students have regarding the resources available to them. Through this, Takayama came to the realization of how important it is to, “…ensure that academic resources, policies, and support systems are accessible and equitable.”
When asked which campus issues are most concerning to Takayama, She mentioned GPA fairness, academic integrity in the digital age and accessibility to academic resources and support.
Studying as a STEM student, Takayama has come across barriers that have hindered academic success. Through promotion of academic integrity in the new age, Takayama’s goal is, “…to make Chico State a place where every student can pursue their education and access the opportunities they need to build a successful future for themselves and their families.”
Transferring from a community college to a four-year university was a difficult decision for Takayama. She found herself torn between attending a California State University (CSU) or a University of California (UC) due to general education requirements differing from each university system. As of 2025’s fall semester, students will be able to apply to a CSU and a UC system with the same general education courses.
“This upcoming change to the GE pattern left a strong impression on me and reinforced my belief that well-structured academic policies can significantly impact students’ experiences. These experiences have shown me the importance of advocating for students, and they have motivated me to run for Director of Academic Affairs to help implement positive changes that support student success.”
The vision for Takayama’s role in Chico State’s academic affairs is quite clear to the highly involved candidate.
“As the student representative on various academic committees, I would use my role to voice student concerns and initiate reforms that promote student success” she said.“Serving as the Chair of the Student Academic Senate and a voting member of the Board of Directors would provide me with the platform to collaborate with faculty and administration ensuring that student perspectives are considered in academic decision making.”
To learn more about Takayama’s campaign, check out her candidate profile or her Instagram page.
The Orion reached out to Pushpak Rane, but a response was not received before the deadline. For more information on his campaign, click here.
Alexis Bunch can be reached at orionmanagingeditor@gmail.com
