Emma Kim ’25 accepts Fulbright to volunteer in Kazakhstan

How did Oberlin shape or influence you to pursue the Fulbright?
It's because of the supportive environment that formed out of such a tight-knit community at Oberlin that I was given support to travel abroad to Armenia and Kyrgyzstan on language scholarships during my summers. Without my professors, who wrote countless recommendation letters, and my peers, who helped to give me advice about living abroad, I probably wouldn’t have found success and passion in traveling to such widely different places. 

It was in Kyrgyzstan during summer 2024 that I became interested in the Korean diaspora in Central Asia. I talked with several local ethnic Koreans who found a home in Kyrgyzstan, and got to know the complicated, and often overlooked, history of their journey to Central Asia. It was because of this experience that I ended up choosing Kazakhstan as the place to pursue a Fulbright scholarship. Kazakhstan has one of the largest Korean diaspora populations in Central Asia, and by being there I hope to connect to these communities and learn more about the culture and historic memory of the Koryo Saram (people of Korean descent in the former Soviet Union). 

How does pursuing the Fulbright align with your post-college life and career goals? 

Right now I’m interested in law, and am thinking of pursuing a career in international justice with a focus on women's and humanitarian rights. In Kazakhstan I’m planning to volunteer at local community service centers, specifically those focused in the Korean diaspora community and women's advocacy groups. I also plan on helping out at immigration centers for people looking to apply for US visas and citizenship. 

At these places, I hope to gain a sense of the lived experiences of Kazakh people and understand the issues and potential solutions for problems affecting these specific communities. I also hope to learn from these communities, and bring the knowledge that I gain back with me when I return home. 

My time in Kazakhstan will continue to add to my understanding of the post-Soviet space in general… I am fascinated to learn about how the memory of the Soviet Union still lingers throughout the expansive space of this culturally diverse region, penetrating differences through shared historic connections. This has always been an academic interest of mine, and I hope to continue adding to my knowledge and understanding of this. 

What’s the best advice you’ve received from your Oberlin faculty mentors?

“Try everything and don’t be afraid.” - Maia Solovieva, senior lecturer in Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies

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