Month: September 2020

September 22, 2020 6-7pm on Zoom

Academic Event

This event was held by the Office of International Affairs and the topic was Kpop and Korean Influences on Music. I decided to attend this event because as a Korean Major I wanted to learn more about the influences that Korean culture has had on music. It was very interesting to hear what was said. Especially, the fact that because South Korea’s culture is more centered around family, Korean artists feel that they can connect more with their fans by putting out more videos to show more of their lives. In other more independent based countries, like the U.S. artists keep more to themselves and you only really ever see them off stage in formal interview settings.

I really enjoyed this event and loved hearing what other people thought about kpop and Korean music and influence. This event was related to International Affairs because it taught about Korean culture. We were all able to learn more and share our thought, which is what I believe International Affairs is about. As a Korean major, I knew a lot of what they talked about, but I was also able to give my input from a different perspective than others because of that. It made the event very fun!

September 15, 2020 6-7pm on Zoom

Professional Development Event

This event was lead by Ryan Wilhelm from Career Counseling and Support Services. He gave us tips to better network while in college. Networking is important because it can make getting jobs in the future easier. Something that I really took from this event was the use of LinkedIn. Before this event I did not use LinkedIn that much, but after, I have started using it more and adding more to my profile. I did not realize you could join groups and see what fields other people have gone into. I will be able to use this tool when I am looking for a job with the majors that I have.

This event is important to International Affairs because to be successful in the workplace we need to have strong connections. The use of networking allows us to learn more about fields we may not have heard of previously. It also connects us to people in fields we are already interested in and shows our dedication and commitment to people in those fields. By using networking in college we can connect ourselves to people and even obtain internships that will benefit us in the future. I am glad I was able to attend this event and learn more about the importance of networking especially while in college.

September 8, 2020 11:30am on Zoom

Professional Development Event

This event was lead by Lou, who is an active Foreign Service Officer at the State Department. He was able to tell us about what it’s like to be a Foreign Service Officer and some of his own personal experiences in the job.  I was interested in this event because going into the State Department is something I am considering after graduation. It was very interesting to hear his experiences. It made me think more about whether or not this field is something I want to go into. I was also able to ask specific questions that I had, which is a lot harder to do if you just research online.

This event relates to International Affairs because as a Foreign Service Officer you are deeply involved in International Affairs. By attending this event I feel like I now have a better understanding of what it’s like to work in the State Department. This will help me in the future because I will be able to remember this discussion and it will help me decide if I really want to apply for a job there. I also now know someone that I can contact to get more information. I am very glad I was able to attend this event.