During his free time, Alex Kim can often be found in a field playing soccer with his friends. When he’s not dribbling a soccer ball, he’s either finishing finance homework, studying for tests, working at his internship, or teaching international students how to network. Though Kim may seem busy, he wants to make the most of his experience in the United States and his education at the BYU Marriott School of Business.
Kim’s love for soccer began when he was an elementary school student growing up in Yeosu, South Korea. His love for the sport continued through middle school and high school, and is now his favorite pastime in college. After moving to Utah, he eventually became captain of an intramural Korean soccer team, spending much of his free time playing games against Korean teams from the University of Utah, Utah Valley University, and other Salt Lake organizations. “Playing soccer and leading a team has helped me improve my leadership and teamwork skills,” says Kim.
One of the reasons he loves soccer is because playing the sport helps him take a break from his everyday responsibilities. “I have to study and work a lot while in college, but when I play soccer, I can forget all of those stressors and be happy,” Kim says.
Kim shares that his education was an important and busy part of he and his peers’ everyday life while growing up in South Korea. A normal day of school for Kim usually involved starting school at seven in the morning and finishing at ten at night.
Now, as a student in the finance program at BYU Marriott, Kim also enjoys spending his time learning about how to manage money for businesses and the government. With the knowledge he has gained from the program, he hopes to become a chartered financial analyst (CFA).
Kim’s interest in finance came partially from his required two years of military service as a citizen of South Korea, during which he served as a financial specialist for the Eighth Army. While in the army, he oversaw budgeting, made year-end tax adjustments, and managed account books. “My time serving in the army gave me the starting point I needed to pursue a career in finance,” he says.
With a future career in finance on his mind, Kim began looking for internship opportunities shortly after being accepted into the finance program. He has since completed three internships with private equity firms. His most recent internship was with the United States Embassy in Seoul.
As part of his experience at BYU Marriott, Kim has also served as the president of the BYU Korean Business Association, a role that has given him the opportunity to help other Korean international students network and accomplish their career goals. “Job hunting can be more difficult for international students than it is for U.S. citizens, so other club members and I help BYU Marriott students connect with Korean alumni,” Kim says. The alumni he connects students with not only give insightful lectures but also help students build their résumés.
Whether reaching for or scoring goals, Kim continues to work hard to lead his teammates and peers to success. Often that means juggling a busy schedule of soccer, school, work, and volunteering, but those experiences only encourage him to work harder. “I always want to do my best every day so I can try and experience new things,” he says.
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Writer: Rebecca Nissen
