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FSI Global High School Union (FSI-GHSU) has an extensive alumni network all around the world and continues to expand as more members join to work with the FSI’s mission to empower, advocate, and support one another. Alumni of FSI Yoonho Kim and Eugene Kang sat down with the FSI ambassadors to answer a series of questions and share their experiences with current FSI members.
Alumni Insight: Eugene Kang (2020 General Director of FSI-GHSU)
Interviewer: Minseok Kim(2022 FSI-GHSU Ambassador)
Date: August 12th, 2022
FSI Ambassador: Thank you for taking the time to meet with us today. Can you please introduce yourself?
Eugene: Hi. My name is Eugene Kang, the former director general and the co-founder of FSI-GHSU 3 years ago. I'm currently a rising sophomore at the University of California Berkeley as an electrical engineering and computer science major.
FSI Ambassador: What are some memorable moments or activities you experienced at FSI-GHSU?
Eugene: One time we had a concert held at a North Korean refugee school. Both North Korean refugees and South Korean student, international students were all coming together, I really enjoyed the unity, and the performances were great as well. Other events like helping out a disabled North Korean student refugee were also memorable. The teaching aspect is always interesting, and I feel like it’s the people you meet that are the most impactful.
FSI Ambassador: Do you see personal growth and development during your time at FSI-GHSU?
Eugene: Oh definitely. (laugh) After we created the organization, we had to communicate with a lot of different students. Leading that communication and being up to date with everyone, at all the events was a huge area for personal growth. As an introverted person, having to meet new students from new schools and having to work on projects was a huge challenge that I was able to grow a lot.
FSI Ambassador: What did you like the most about FSI-GHSU?
Eugene: I would say that it’s the people. The people that let us do our own projects, and the people we meet are all so great. I was able to learn a lot from them, and that goes for any project. It really becomes fun if you’re doing it with other people, and I hope everyone can feel the same way at FSI
FSI Ambassador: How is your college life in general?
Eugene: Extremely stressful(laugh) but also fun. It’s like high school but your parents aren’t around. Especially for us international students that go to colleges abroad, you’re the only one who’s making your own decisions from now on, so you suddenly have to become responsible, and that makes us suffer and grow at the same time.
FSI Ambassador: Do you have any advice for seniors preparing for college applications?
Eugene: For me, I think I wrote my applications because it was fun. Games and legos were what I enjoyed, and I wrote how I did not stop at liking these things and went beyond the passion. So just find it and dig into it. Essays won’t be too hard to write. Just have fun with it. And FSI really helped me in this aspect as well. Casey and Eunkoo are such great mentors and extremely dedicated and knowledgeable people. I learned all about these nonprofits, volunteer work, and priorities, and for me working with them really helped me build out my application and put more passion into my work.
FSI Ambassador: Do you have advice for all FSI-GHSU members who have a hard time choosing their dream schools?
Eugene: You should look at the programs carefully. I liked the computer science and engineering program at Berkeley, and a lot of people gave me good advice. I chose a liberal arts education school because I thought it was a much better choice for undergraduate education, but it would really depend on your major.
FSI Ambassador: What are your future plans?
Eugene: For now it’s trying to survive, trying to graduate (laugh) I will continue supporting your great work.
FSI Ambassador: Thank you for your great advice. Any last-minute advice?
Eugene: Everyone’s dream changes while they’re in college. One of my sunbaes told me that they highly recommend taking a gap year to explore yourself. I want to say the same thing, especially because transferring is really easy and it’s better to open up your choices and have the ability to change what you want to do.
FSI Ambassador: Thank you for the interview!
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