President's Student Leadership Award

Konatsu Okita
2025 President’s Student Leadership Award Recipient

Cañada College is proud to name Konatsu Okita as this year’s President’s Student Leadership Award recipient. She will earn two Associate Degrees for Transfer in Psychology and Interdisciplinary Studies: Social & Behavioral Sciences. She will transfer to UCLA to pursue a degree in Psychology.

Kona was born and raised in Kyoto, Japan. As an international student, Kona’s early days in the United States were filled with challenges: navigating life alone, learning a new language and adjusting to a new culture. Her journey has been full of exploration and excitement, but also moments of fear and anxiety.

Despite these challenges, Kona became actively involved in campus life and discovered the power of community. Kona worked as a Student Ambassador for the Cultural Center and a peer mentor for the S.T.A.R. Program, helping create spaces for cultural exchange and facilitating Japanese cultural events. Seeing people come together to celebrate, learn and connect was the best part of her time at Cañada College. Kona was selected as a scholar for the 2024 National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in Higher Education (NCORE), where she developed as a leader and presented her research. Through these experiences, she learned the power of representation, the importance of being open-minded, the impact of listening to others and the value of solidarity. As President of the Active Minds Club, Kona advocated for mental health awareness and reducing stigma.

In the future, Kona hopes to study interdisciplinary fields combining Psychology, Nutrition and Science, with the long-term goal of promoting mental wellness and supporting individuals with mental illnesses.