Nicole Kim

Major: Biology
 
Year: 2023
 
I was born in Los Angeles, California. My parents never sent me to Korean school, so I learned the language and the traditions from my parents. I went to a predominantly Hispanic high school, so I wasn't exposed to much of my culture. Coming to Penn, I knew I wanted to get involved in the Korean community on campus. During my first semester as a freshman, I took a course called "Korean Popular Culture", and learned so much about the history of Korea that I hadn't known before. Learning about the Gwangju movement was what really sparked my interest in learning about Korean history. I took "Korean for Heritage Speakers II" this year, and was able to greatly expand my writing, reading, and speaking skills.  I hope to study abroad in South Korea some day during my time at Penn, so that I can absorb more of my culture and my identity as a Korean. Through the James Joo-Jin Undergraduate Fellowship, I look forward to becoming more aware of the different issues happening in Korea through the Korean Studies Colloquium.