Four students — Madeline Lau, Grant Miller, Marie Webb and Justin Yngelmo — recently received summer scholarships for study in Korea, June 27 - July 11, from the Center for Asian Business. The awards were presented on April 14 by Fr. John P. Daly, S.J., Director of the Center, and Theresa Y. Shim, Vice President of Business Affairs, Loyola Productions, who established the scholarship while serving at LMU as Associate Director of the Center and who chaired the selection committee.

As part of their application, students were required to write an essay explaining why they wanted to participate in the program and what they hope to learn while in Korea. The scholarship will cover partial roundtrip airfare between Los Angeles and Seoul, as well as all travel arrangements within Korea. A coordinator from LMU’s sister Jesuit school in Seoul, Sogang University, will supervise and arrange all activities. While accommodations and breakfasts will be provided by each student’s host family, students will need money for some meals and personal purchases.

During their two-week stay, students will travel throughout the country and visit important cultural sites as well as meet Korean students, professors and business leaders. Upon their return, students will write a 1,500-word report describing the cultural differences they experienced.

Madeline Lau is a sophomore majoring in Asian Pacific and European studies who has many questions and a deep interest in the Far East. She hopes her enchantment with Asia will grow and that many of questions will be answered. Grant Miller is a sophomore with an interest in intercultural communication. He is using his trip to Korea as an opportunity to change minds and perceptions others have about American. “For the first time in my life I want to experience a foreign country, and with honest efforts, try to alter how I perceive America’s position in the global society,” he said.

Marie Webb is a senior with a double major in music and business. She hopes to become more acquainted with Korean lifestyle, history and music and is positive this experience will open her mind and challenge her ideals and customs. Justin Yngelmo, a junior majoring in film production, completed a study abroad in Germany last semester and is excited to continue his cultural immersion. “There is so much that can only be learned through immersing yourself in a culture, and Korea seems like such an incredibly unique and interesting one to be immersed in.”