This summer, 13 Students and two faculty members are traveling to South Korea to study Korea’s remarkable economic journey in the post-war period, while strengthening their skills and deepening their understanding of leadership in action in the world. Please enjoy these blog posts below from Lucas ’28 and Mikaylah ’26 as they describe their experiences witnessing innovation and teamwork at KIA to conquering personal fears on a roller coaster in Busan, where students explored how leadership often grows through shared challenges, unexpected moments, and the courage to step outside their comfort zones.
By Lucas ’28:
The group met with Karen Park and her family as we took a tour of KIA facilities. This magnificent facility showcased just how many moving parts it takes to build one cohesive unit, further solidifying the fact that collaboration is a key component to success. Another notable aspect was the use of robots in the KIA assembly line, which demonstrated the company’s willingness to innovate rather than remain stagnant.
After some shopping and dinner we split up into smaller groups and sang karaoke. This exercise demonstrated that leadership doesn’t always have to come from a position of power but can also emerge from a place of vulnerability and discomfort.
By Mikaylah ’26:
I had an unexpected adventure in Busan today. The group’s one day trip to Busan was drafted for the sole purpose of having fun. But when the skies were gray over the beach and the water did not fit our swimming preferences, our group became much more excited for the fun that was promised to come from Lotte World Adventure Park. But the truth is for me, I was nervous. You see I am not the biggest fan of roller coasters. When I go to a theme park, I’m the one in the arcade or playing those scam ridden booth games. But everyone in the group wanted to bond over a shared experience: riding The Digger. Who was I to skip out of a bonding activity? I wanted to try something new, as I have been each day in Korea. The ride didn’t seem that daunting when I first looked at it. Sure, it was a little high, but not that bad. The only thing I was scared of was the loop. I wasn’t comfortable with the idea of being upside down. The thing I said before, “why not try something new?” – that mentality didn’t hit me until I was with our group of 13, right at the front of the line. Until then I was thinking there was no way I’d ride the coaster. I’d just wait on the side till they were done. When I walked to put my bag down, I realized I wanted to do it, so I asked my friend Naomi if I could share a car with her and squeezed her hand tight as we shot off into the sky. Fun fact: did you know this particular roller coaster was Lotte World’s biggest one? No? How about that it boasts many loops, not just one, and drops, and oh how could I forget, 360-degree corkscrews. No, I didn’t know that either. Before the ride, I thought it was a little bigger than what I was comfortable with, and had one challenging part, not that the whole ride was miles out of my comfort zone! It’s true that if I knew the ride had all those aspects, I would not have ridden it. But I’m so happy I did, even if it was something I didn’t prepare for, and I took it unknowingly, which can be harder than knowing what to expect. Good leaders sometimes must diverge from the comfortable path. Now I can walk away saying I rode a crazy rollercoaster, and I share that memory with all the amazing people on this trip.
Love, from Busan.
