Asian Studies Alumni Stories - Jina Kang
Current Position & Responsibilities
I am a Government Relations Manager at POSCO America. My responsibilities include managing the development and implementation of lobbying strategies, lobbying members of Congress and congressional staff on a variety of issues related to international trade, and monitoring/reporting US political and economic issues.
What did you like best about the program?
People. The professors were not only super smart, but they also cared about students' academic and professional development. So many professors helped me with their insights, critiques, and other professional resources. Students were also very diverse, intelligent, curious, and fun! I can't express enough how thankful I am for the people I met through the Asian Studies program at the Elliott school. After graduation, people from my cohort are now doing fascinating work in different fields, including international security, trade, public relations, and academia.
Did the program prepare you for your career?
I think that the Asian Studies Program is a bit more academic by comparison to other programs at the Elliott school. Developing research and writing skills were critical for me during the program. In my current role I monitor/research issues regarding international trade, politics, etc, and write reports to upper-level management on a daily basis, even to the C-suite level. Doing robust research and writing succinctly is one of the essential responsibilities of the current job, and I am confident that the Asian Studies program prepared me well.