Senior of the Week: Haruka Masamura

By: Ashley Jiang, Ellie Ana Sperantsas

When you mention the name Haruka Masamura to an Exonian, you’ll almost always see a smile in response. “No one on this campus would dislike Haruka for any reason because she is such a friendly person,” senior Rachel Kim said.

Masamura, a three year senior in Dunbar, is a positive presence on campus, quick to offer time and energy to her peers. “I feel like she really tries to be nice to everyone. Sometimes that will require a bit of sacrifice of her own time, as she is trying to help out some lowerclassmen in the dorm, but she's not hesitant to do it,” Kim said. “She's always so willing to help out other people...she’s always approachable and she's always open.”

Masamura takes equal delight in sparking joy through conversations, naming it a highlight of her time at Exeter. “Meeting different people from everywhere is always really cool. If I hadn’t gone to Exeter, I wouldn't be meeting all these people,” she said.

Despite the positivity she radiates, however, Masamura did not have an easy transition to Exeter. “[I had to] learn through different challenges across Exeter, and just grow,” Masamura said. 

Especially during the pandemic, Masamura has come to value and practice self-care. “I definitely value [that], and taking care of yourself first,” she said.

With graduation coming up soon, Masamura is cognizant of all the parts of the Exeter experience she will not be able to return to. “I want to say [I’ll miss] everything, but definitely friends, I would say, as number one on the list. Also having teachers that are super passionate, and how involved they are here,” Masamura said.

Despite leaving soon, Masamura has certainly made an impact in all the spaces she serves in. “She's a student listener and proctor in [Dunbar], and I feel like no one suits that position and the title more because she's a great listener, you know?” Kim noted.

“She has been one of the few friends that I can always talk to about whatever concerns I have...I feel like she can always give me an objective perspective, but she can also really empathize with me as well,” Kim said. “I can always trust her with all my concerns and some of my secrets, or some other things that are going on in my life that I probably won't share with a lot of other people on this campus.”

Senior Hannah Lee attested to Masamura’s warmth, which was evident in their work together as Dunbar proctors. “She's someone who everyone knows that they can go to and she’ll welcome them into her room with open arms and an open heart,” Lee said.

Kim appreciated Masamura’s positive influence. “I learned a lot from her as a friend. I learned social skills from her in the sense that I learned how to be more patient with people or to control my emotions because she’s really good at that,” Kim said. “With Haruka, I can get help to navigate through my Exeter life whenever I face difficulties.”

Senior Giovanna Pisano roomed with Masamura two years ago. “She's one of those people where it always gets better the more you spend time with them. Little-by-little you get to know her and love her. She's the most uplifting person I've met, and she always makes me feel seen,” Pisona said.

English Instructor Eimer Page said, “Haruka is an incredibly warm, positive person. No one spends time with Haruka without coming away in a better mood. She tackles every challenge with a smile, and she is really smart.”

Kim added, “Even if something is really hard or physically tiring, Haruka is really good at it. She can get things done and help other people while being this really approachable leader of both the dorm and the school community. While she does this, she can get her own stuff done and achieve her own goals… she can balance the time she spends as a leader with her own academic work.”

Currently a team leader in Exeter Entrepreneurship Club, Masamura has brought to the club the same care that characterizes her friendships and classes. Remarkably, Masamura initially stumbled into business. “I definitely had not imagined myself in the business realm. Before I came here, I liked environmental science, but turns out that wasn't really the route that I loved the most. I just joined the entrepreneurship club on a whim and I loved it...Now it's one thing that I think I'm going to pursue,” Masamura said.

Upper Aiden Silvestri first met Masamura in Entrepreneurship Club last year. “When I first joined as a team leader, I remember that during our initial Zoom meeting, I was a little bit nervous because I hadn't really done much leadership for clubs before. I had been kind of quiet the whole time, but toward the end, Haruka respectably called me out and asked, ‘what do you think about this?’ That really gave me a sense of care, and it made me feel comfortable in meetings to speak up and share ideas,” Silvestri said.

Lee, who worked with Masamura in the club, shared similar thoughts. “She's creative beyond belief. She's an amazing artist, and she’s so non sibi. I feel so incredibly lucky to have her in my life,” Lee said.

Masamura attributed her passion for business to its ability to bridge different types of thinking. “I do have a creative side and then a logical, mathematics type side too...Business kind of combines all that into one,” Masamura said.

Bridging subjects and disciplines has been a highlight of Masamura’s senior year, in which she’s pursued courses that both benefit her knowledge of business and expand her approach to business in creative ways. “I've been taking psychology, which sort of plays into marketing and business ethics, or ethics in the marketplace. I'm also taking economics, and I think that taking those courses definitely confirmed my interests and furthered my knowledge in those [subjects] as well,” Masamura said.

Masamura is also an excellent field hockey player. “Her skills were so strong that she became a vital part of that team’s success and her coach was blown away by her attitude,” Page said. “I remember she injured her ankle badly during one of their last games but still scored the winning goal. I’m not suggesting that students should ever play through an injury, but it was very much like Haruka to finish her play for her teammates before seeking help for herself.”

No matter what she does beyond Exeter or how far she goes, Masamaru is sure to continue her life with both kindness and determination. “Haruka has overcome being such a long way away from her family and has made herself a home here at Exeter. She’s an inspiration,” Page said.