Julie Koyama Oral History Interview, February 27, 2024

Partial Transcript: For this interview I have with me, Julie Koyama. My name is Alissa Delp, and I'm an undergraduate student at Oregon State University. Today I am in Corvallis, Oregon, and it is February 27th, 2024.

Partial Transcript: All right. Perfect. Thank you. Let's talk about your upbringing a little. Starting off. So, where are you from? Like, where were you born? And, like. Tell me a little bit about your family's background, please.

Segment Synopsis: Koyama shares her family's beginnings in Baker, Oregon.

Partial Transcript: Can you tell me a little bit more about your parents? Like what their careers were, a little bit more specific.

Segment Synopsis: Koyama shares more about her parents' jobs.

Partial Transcript: Perfect. So, then do you have any siblings?

Segment Synopsis: Koyama introduces her younger sibling Lin.

Partial Transcript: What age did you start Judo?

Segment Synopsis: Koyama recounts some memories of her first Judo Dojo and why she started the sport.

Partial Transcript: So I'm actually kind of interested about that. You said that, where you were, Japanese-Americans were welcome. Do you have any experience with some kind of discrimination? Did he talk about that at all?

Segment Synopsis: Koyama talks about how people close to her were affected by the discrimination of Japanese-Americans shortly after Pearl Harbor.

Partial Transcript: So you told me that you moved some times to be with your father, right?

Segment Synopsis: Koyama shares how her father's career in the Marines affected her family's lifestyle.

Partial Transcript: So, what were you thinking when you first applied to college? Like, what were you thinking of studying?

Segment Synopsis: Koyama says she was first a Marine Biology major before switching to be a Biochemistry major.

Partial Transcript: Do you remember what was going through your mind when you were thinking premed? Like, what made you want to pursue something like that?

Segment Synopsis: Koyama talks about why she became interested in pursuing Medicine as a career and her first job as a lifeguard.

Partial Transcript: Did you drop that job when you went to college or did you have a job during college?

Segment Synopsis: Koyama shares that she had a job as a nursing assistant during college.

Partial Transcript: Okay. I forgot to ask this, but what university or college did you go to?

Segment Synopsis: Koyama recounts her time at UO as a student and compares it to now. She also speaks on how OSU has changed since she frequented campus as an undergrad with friends.

Partial Transcript: So something that we've talked about in class is home economics. Did you ever take that in, like K through 12?

Segment Synopsis: Koyama shares her time taking home economics in school while avoiding it in college.

Partial Transcript: Also another note. So in class, we were also talking about how a lot of women went to college for marriageability. Did you know anybody who did?

Segment Synopsis: Koyama talks about how she personally didn't know anyone with that goal but knew of it.

Partial Transcript: Okay, so after your undergrad, what happened? Like, did you apply to med school?

Segment Synopsis: Koyama recounts how she applied to medical school and talks about some interesting restrictions during that period.

Partial Transcript: Did that affect your outlook on medicine at all after that happened? Or were you still just really passionate about it and you want to do something with it?

Segment Synopsis: Koyama talks about her time as a chemistry teacher then later going back to school to be a nurse in emergency medicine.

Partial Transcript: What do you think has provided you with the most satisfaction in life? Or like what are you most proud of career wise?

Segment Synopsis: Koyama shares what has brought her the most satisfaction in life, specifically considering how hard she worked to get where she is today.

Partial Transcript: I'm going to shift back to judo. So did you do that throughout college?

Segment Synopsis: Koyama recounts how she got back into Judo after having children and why she left in the first place.

Partial Transcript: So going back to the present, what are you doing right now as a career?

Segment Synopsis: Koyama shares why she decided to work at OSU even though she is retired.

Partial Transcript: Was that one of the biggest challenges in your life, or is there something else that is.

Segment Synopsis: Koyama says one of her biggest challenges in life was when she was accepted into Med School but broke her leg and also how her dad's job affected her childhood.

Partial Transcript: So how did your parents meet?

Segment Synopsis: Koyama talks about how her parents met and her mom's time in college.

Partial Transcript: Okay, I have another question.This is specifically about your time at OSU. So you are classified as an instructor, right?

Segment Synopsis: Koyama shares her experiences as an OSU faculty member.

Partial Transcript: Yeah. How did you meet your husband, by the way?

Segment Synopsis: Koyama shares how she and her husband met when they were young.

Partial Transcript: So actually, I haven't asked this about you. So, you have children, right?

Segment Synopsis: Koyama talks about her children and how they are doing at present.

Partial Transcript: So has there anybody who has been a great influence on you, like, who has inspired you or had the greatest influence on you throughout your life, if it was in your childhood or in your adulthood?

Segment Synopsis: Koyama recounts how her mom was her biggest influence an inspiration throughout her life.

Partial Transcript: Do you have any advice for maybe students specifically, like female students who are looking into going into medicine for experiences?

Segment Synopsis: In closing, Koyama shares her thoughts on current conditions in med school compared to when she applied.