Hello! I’m Zoe, a rising senior in the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Social Work. I also study Korean as a minor and I’m working towards a certificate in Asian Studies, and I aim to be a Master’s level social worker with a broad focus on cultural humility and competence regarding Korean and Asian cultures. I absolutely love to travel and learn about other cultures, both within the US and outside of it. I was born in Seattle, Washington then moved to New Jersey, not far from New York City, in elementary school. Since then, I have traveled across the US to various cities and landmarks as well as had the wonderful opportunity to visit a few different countries. My dad is a social worker and my mom is a psychologist, so they have both ingrained the ethical values of their professions into me from a young age. Therefore, I’ve always valued understanding people who are different from me, as well as understood the importance of putting oneself in uncomfortable positions to learn and grow.

I will be participating in the International Internship Program in Seoul, working at a company called the Korea Volunteer Agency (KVA). KVA is a fairly small organization whose aim is to provide Korean students with global professional skills as well as increase their English language proficiency. The organization works with multiple abroad partner organizations in over twenty countries to place students into volunteer and internship placements that align with their future career goals in industries like social welfare, environmental campaigning, nursing/caretaking, and more.

I completed a study abroad semester in Seoul last Spring, and it provided me with the chance to get familiar with the country and its culture in a more direct way than what classroom learning provides. Now, I would like to expand that learning through interning in South Korea to directly experience what working there is like. I feel that my comfort level with the city of Seoul and Korean language will provide a solid foundation for maximum benefit from this internship, and will provide a basis on which I can learn even more about the country and its people. While I studied abroad, I interacted with people who were mostly similar to me in that we were in an educational environment. The internship will allow me to create more diverse connections with people outside of academics who may be older and more established, providing me with important mentorship and learning opportunities. This program will also provide me with unique professional experience in a country with an intense and competitive work environment. 

Additionally, I have been learning Korean for a little more than four years. During my study abroad in Seoul, my language skills improved significantly through interactions not only in the classroom but also in social settings with new Korean friends, shops, restaurants, independent travel in the country, and in unexpected medical/hospital situations. The chance to be in Korea again will undoubtedly expand my Korean language skills even more, which is something that is really important to me personally as well as professionally and that I really look forward to.

It’s a dream-come-true for me to have this internship in Seoul because it will help me achieve many of my goals. My appreciation for and commitment to understanding diversity is long-standing, and I started exploring Korean culture and language independently during high school. I pursued this interest at Pitt and have known since my study abroad experience in Seoul that I absolutely wanted to return. I now feel a sense of comfort and safety in the city as I have lived there, though for a short period of time. Upon my return, I will feel even more willing to try to connect with the people around me and explore the city as I already had time to break out of my shell. I have known for years that I wanted to be a social worker and serve the public, and I also knew that I wanted to live in Korea. The opportunity to do both at the same time is something I will benefit infinitely from as I will get the chance to experience personal and professional growth in an environment from which I have so much to learn. In the future, I hope to work with Korean people either in Korea or here in the US, and this internship experience will give me the tools I need for not just cultural understanding in the classroom setting, but in the real world with different people.