I remember my first time driving on I-65, on my way to meet my host family after arriving in the U.S. I had never seen the sky so wide, stunningly blue, and unrecognizably high.
Back home in Seoul, I was used to seeing tiny slivers of blue in between skyscrapers and crowded streets bustling with people so busy that they probably forgot what the sky looked like.
I know I had forgotten.
But now, on this drive, I remembered. I was mesmerized by the beautiful scenery painted by the big blue sky, endless late-July cornfields, and flocks of birds. Looking back, it was at this exact moment that I fell in love with Indiana.
It was supposed to be just a year-long high school exchange program at my now alma mater, Indiana Academy, located in Muncie, Indiana. After that year, I was supposed to go back home to finish high school and attend college.
But here I am, 6+ years later. And I find myself calling Indiana my other home.
That blue sky was the spark, sure–but, truly, I fell in love because of the people I’ve met along the way. My host family, who I now call my “American family,” showed me the charm of Indiana. My friends taught me that life can be just as fun and interesting in a small town as it is anywhere else.
Yes, I miss Korea and my family at times. But sitting with my friends by the fire with on a late, windy Indiana summer day makes me feel like somehow, I am home.
Most people my age dream of spending their 20s in big, bright cities: the bigger the city, the higher the rent, the better. I wanted to be someplace where people are valued, where talent and skills are viewed as more than just a commodity.
Luckily, I found enFocus. The company’s mission to empower talent to help people and drive innovation resonated with me. After meeting several employees through career fairs and interviews, I quickly realized that enFocus was the type of organization I wanted to work for.
Many people have asked me how my major, biomedical engineering, is related to what I do at enFocus. Typically, one would expect a biomedical engineer to be working at a medical device company or a pharmaceutical company, developing cutting-edge medical technologies.
My vision for healthcare innovation goes far beyond technological advancement, though. While new devices and efficient surgical methods are important, my focus is on working with what is already available in the community in an effort to provide a more accessible and affordable healthcare to those who need it most; in a way, showing others the–figurative–blue skies that Indiana has to offer.
With my background in engineering and drive to help people, I want to help build a stronger community in the South Bend - Elkhart Region–to give back to the state that helped me feel at home.
And, I’m excited to see many more blue skies along the way.