KOREAN NET

Youth Mentoring Programs of The Federation of Midwest Korean-American Associations

The Federation of Midwest Korean-American Associations (President Young-sik Dokko) held the 2023 Next Generation Leadership Forum under the theme of “Vision for the Future” for two days on April 1 and 2. On the first day (April 1), Prof. Young-kee Kim (Dept. of Physics, University of Chicago), Prof. Jin Choi (Dept. of Economics, DePaul University), Mr. Itak Seo (attorney-at-law), and Dr. Hye-jin Yoon joined the forum as speakers. In particular, named one of “20 Young Scientists to Watch” by Discover magazine, Prof. Kim serves as Chair of the Department of Physics at the Chicago University, Deputy Director of Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, and Chair of the Division of Particles and Fields of the American Physical Society. In addition, having served as Vice President in 2022, Prof. Kim will serve as President-Elect in 2023, President in 2024, and Past President in 2025 of the American Physical Society. Presidency of the American Physical Society is known to be highly influential to the American political society. After the society members succeeded to develop atomic bombs during World War 2, the President of the American Physical Society started to provide scientific advice when setting the national science policies or proposing bills and intervene in the process of R&D budget allocation. It has a lot of significance both for Korean and American societies given Prof. Kim, a South Korea-born female scientist was elected as the President of the Society.

2023 Next Generation Leadership Forum held by The Federation of Midwest Korean-American Associations at Hilton Northbrook, Chicago.

Prof. Kim shared her story about how a country girl from Gyeongsan came to the United States, and she threw babies’ first birthday parties when her students got married and gave birth, and she made Forget the Year Party a new tradition at the University of Chicago. It was a great opportunity to give ideas on how Korean youth can realize their Korean identity in American society as she shared an exemplary case where she converged Korean culture in the United States. Moreover, Prof. Kim highlighted there was a need for Koreans to move away from inclusive education to develop leadership. She pointed out that inclusive education may have disadvantages such as difficulties in expressing their own opinions, and highlighted that it was time to feel free from goals such as good grades and prestigious universities and provide education of high quality to cultivate leaders who can show leadership at the top of each field.

Prof. Kim (University of Chicago) explaining about atoms, her main field of expertise.

On the following day (April 2), six experts delivered mentoring programs to advise the youth about their future at five seminar rooms on the first floor of Hilton Northbrook, Chicago. The five experts who attended the mentor programs as mentors consisted of Dr. Ki-ro Yoon, Dr. Hye-jin Yoon, Mr. Itak Seo (attorney-at-law), Dr. Jun Oh (engineer), Mr. John Lee (chemist) and Mr. Bruce Park (society and education expert), who shared their expertise and knowhow in medicine, law, engineering, chemistry, society, and education with young students.

Mentoring programs were held in five seminar rooms.

In particular, Dr. Ki-ro Yoon (surgeon) gave practical advice on admission to American medical schools and pointed out that the reality in the U.S. may be different from standards and values of universities that Korean parents think of. Unlike Korea, college tuition fees are astronomically expensive in the U.S. and in case of prestigious universities, tuition fees tend to be extremely high in proportion to the name value and ranking of the universities, so economic conditions should be taken into account. Dr. Ki-ro Yoon highlighted that no patient asks a doctor what university he or she graduated from as doctors become qualified based on a standardized qualification test regardless of the university. What doctors should demonstrate to patients is their skills as a doctor, and not their alma mater. In addition, Dr. Hye-jin Yoon, daughter of Dr. Ki-ro Yoon, participated in mentoring programs through video conferencing, providing students with vivid and rich stories in medical fields.

Itak Seo (attorney-at-law) sharing the process how he became a lawyer, overcoming language barriers with students.

Dr. Ki-ro Yoon’s three kids are all doctors, and his daughter Dr. Hye-jin Yoon mentored students participating in the event.

Mentors and mentees participating the mentoring programs

Young students paying attention to mentors’ advice

Che-rin Park (Michigan; 9th grade) who participated in the mentoring program said, “I was moved by the association’s efforts to cheer and support the dreams and future of Korean teenagers growing up in the United States. I think we should keep developing the Korean community by leading the next generation based on our solidarity and positive energy and creating a virtuous cycle where next generation grows into great members of society and passes down the support from the previous generation to the next one.” This event has helped students improve their potential and skills as Korean experts with rich experience and knowledge mentored the students and also served as an example of how older generations care for the Korean community and younger generations. The Next Generation Leadership Forum held at the beginning of April ended in a bright atmosphere like a spring flower, with high promises for next year.