I’ve learned that sometimes taking the rocky road will allow you to learn so many things in life that you cannot pay to learn.
Tae Emily Kim, B.S. '16
Emily Kim was born and raised in South Korea. At age 11, she and her family moved to the U.S. Just one month after this life-changing event, the 9/11 attacks occurred, deeply affecting Kim’s immigrant family. They faced multiple challenges, including a case of green card fraud perpetrated upon them by an unscrupulous firm. Kim, who worked for her family while she also went to school, had to handle many of these issues. All the while, she just wanted to have the life of a normal American teen. It took Kim until her sophomore year at Howard Community College to come up with a vision for her own future – a vision where she was happy, working at a good, well-paying job, and making her own way. She discovered her natural entrepreneurial spirit and her passion for creating new ventures awakening in her, invigorating her. She always knew that she loved to make new things, and now she sees her experience in the Entrepreneurship Fellows program as a time to be involved in school, to bring some joy to her parents, and enjoy a little happiness for herself.