Jihoon Rim Foundation scholars gather in New York on Sept. 19, 2026. Fifty of the 70 students supported by the foundation since 2023 attended this year’s reunion. (Photo courtesy of the Jihoon Rim Foundation)
Attendance at the annual reunion has grown along with the program. Just over 30 scholars attended last year, compared with 50 this year. Some traveled four to six hours from colleges across the Northeast during the fall semester.
For the first time, graduates from the foundation’s earlier cohorts spoke with younger scholars about their transitions from college into careers and graduate education.
Five scholars shared experiences pursuing paths at the Federal Reserve, in finance, software engineering, law school, and medical school. They discussed career decisions, unexpected turns and lessons they wished they had known earlier in college.
One scholar described how meeting someone on a different career path changed the options he was considering.
After receiving an offer from a strategy consulting firm, he spoke with another one of our foundation scholars working at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and began taking a closer look at the Federal Reserve. He later received and accepted an offer from the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, where he now works.
The experience reflected one of the ideas I discussed with students at the gathering: that exposure to people outside one’s usual circles can broaden the range of paths a student sees as possible.
I later shared on LinkedIn that we can’t create luck, but we can give ourselves more chances to run into it by meeting more people, going to new places, and putting ourselves in situations we otherwise wouldn’t be in.
The foundation currently selects 20 undergraduate students of Korean heritage each year and awards $10,000 to each scholar. Selection considers academic achievement, leadership potential, personal essays and financial need.
When I started the Jihoon Rim Foundation, I hoped it would eventually become more than a scholarship. I wanted it to become a community where people come back and help the people coming after them.
Beyond the financial award, scholars meet students from other colleges and fields through the annual reunion and smaller regional gatherings. As the first cohorts move into graduate school and the workforce, some are now returning to those gatherings as young professionals with experiences to share.
Professor Jihoon Rim is a professor at New York University Stern School of Business, where he teaches technology and entrepreneurship. He previously served as CEO of Kakao and advises the U.S. Federal Trade Commission on technology antitrust matters. The Jihoon Rim Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded and funded by Jihoon Rim. Since 2023, the foundation has selected 70 undergraduate students of Korean heritage and supports them through scholarships and opportunities to learn from peers across schools, disciplines and career paths.
