Juhee Kim, Minkyu Park and Sungha Kim have been involved in campus activities ranging from Esports to lifeguard work and the Latino Student Union. Photo by Yejin Shin.
YEJIN SHIN | STAFF REPORTER | yshin1@butler.edu
According to the 2024 Census, about 4% of Indianapolis’ population is Asian. The 2021 American Community Survey’s five-year estimates state that just over a thousand are Korean. Of those, four Korean students are studying as international students at Butler University on F-1 student visas. The Collegian met with three Korean students, from first-years to seniors, to learn what brought them to America, Indiana and Butler.
First-year PP1 pre-pharmacy student Minkyu Park lived in Guatemala and was born to Korean parents. He chose Butler for one reason: the pharmacy school. It typically takes six to eight years for pharmacy students to complete their degree. In contrast, Butler’s accelerated five-year program provides an attractive alternative.
Park expanded upon the merits of choosing Butler.
“The advantage of going to Butler is that it is a private school, so you get individualized attention from your professors, which is very nice,” Park said. “Also, the school is not too small, nor is it too big. So everyone almost knows each other. Everyone sees each other almost every day, and at the same time, it’s not too awkward.”
Few things are more valuable than spending your college years with close friends. Sharing meals or doing homework together outside on a sunny day may seem simple, but these moments become a meaningful part of daily life. In a close-knit community like Butler, it is only natural that it feels like family.
Senior chemistry major Juhee Kim came to the U.S. when she was in middle school and echoed Park’s thoughts.
She liked Butler’s smaller community because the professors and students are able to get to know each other personally.
“I think Butler is suited for me [because] I can approach students and professors better,” Juhee Kim said. “The environment of Butler pharmacy made me a little depressed and the academically challenging environment pushed me to make some bad choices. [However,] the professor helped me navigate a different path. I enjoy my analytical chemistry class [now].”
Despite the benefits of Butler, international students still face challenges like loneliness, cultural differences and language barriers. It is not easy for them to understand wordplay that is deeply rooted in American culture and sentiment. Sometimes, everyone laughs at the joke except for the foreigner who cannot fully grasp it. Also, even if a phrase is grammatically correct and the meaning is clear, it can sound awkward if locals do not actually use it. In general, communication challenges can become obstacles to making friends, leaving this group of students feeling lonely and lowering their self-esteem.
First-year pharmacy student Sungha Kim came to Butler after finishing high school in Korea and initially had a hard time.
“During my first semester, it was my first time leaving my home country and coming to the U.S.,” Sungha Kim said. “I struggled to adjust [to] environmental differences. It was tough, but thankfully, my friends, faculty advisor and success coach helped me.”
Students who were raised in Korea may find topics such as gender equality and racial discrimination unfamiliar, as they are less commonly discussed concepts in Korea. Classes that require active participation in English can also be overwhelming. Sungha Kim ended up in the emergency room due to the stress caused by these challenges. However, he found community by diving into everything Butler had to offer.
The exhilaration of performing with the Jazz Combo and his victory in the 2023 League of Legends Big East Championship Grand Final helped him keep moving forward.
“I’m very proud to be a Dawg,” Sungha Kim said. “They provide excellent support services and atmosphere.”
Korean students are starting new chapters in their lives all over the United States. Even in a new environment, they continue to adapt each day through meaningful communities. With this time, they prepare to step into society. As for these three, their adventure begins at Butler.
