Yahlin Chang ’89 is lending a hand to first-gen students

Yahlin Chang ’89 was born in Taipei. When she was a young child, her father moved to Williamsport, Pennsylvania to join his extended family. He was a chef and worked in a Chinese restaurant owned by a family friend. No one in the family spoke English.

From the age of 12 through 18, Yahlin navigated the challenges of attending public schools in American communities that were vastly different from that of Taiwan. Though she excelled in math and science, she struggled with reading and writing in English. With hours and hours of practice and the help of a language tutor, she slowly gained confidence and fluency in her new tongue. As a first-gen college student, Yahlin navigated the college admissions process on her own—successfully gaining admission and financial aid to attend the Cornell University College of Engineering.

In 2022, Yahlin established a $250,000 scholarship to support a first-generation college student at Cornell, and she is now contemplating creating a second scholarship. Additionally, Yahlin mentors first-gen students through the President’s Council of Cornell Women (PCCW), which she joined in 2021. Yahlin has maintained close relationships with all her mentees throughout their Cornell years, and post-graduation.

Yahlin relishes the opportunity to help first-gen students like herself find their voice and gain confidence. She also understands the impact of giving first-gen students access to the life-changing opportunities that a Cornell education affords them.

“I had to learn the ropes on my own,” Yahlin says. “So, if there’s any way I can help another first-gen Cornell student, I will do it.”