Hi! I’m Victoria Kim and I was part of the Berkeley Haas Global Access Program (BHGAP) Fall 2023 cohort. I’m currently studying at Chung-Ang University (Seoul, South Korea), double-majoring in business and English language and literature as I want to combine English skills and business knowledge for my future career in global sales and marketing.

I spent five semesters at my home university before I participated in BHGAP as a visiting student. I chose BHGAP because I wanted to deepen my knowledge about business at a great school. UC Berkeley is one of the most prestigious schools in the world, highly well-known for the leading quality education and faculty. Additionally, the Haas Business school is prestigious, offering a variety of courses, great faculty and successful alumni. I really enjoyed that I could take a wide range of business courses—the same ones that Haas undergraduate students take! I was also able to take campus courses such as economics and PE.

Also, I value the hands-on experiences to prepare for my career and taking part in the site visits to Google, Amazon and Visa was a fantastic opportunity. BHGAP brings together a large community of students who come from different cultural backgrounds.

 

 

I really enjoyed that I could take a wide range of business courses—the same ones that Haas undergraduate students take!

 

 

My Course Schedule

My BHGAP courses included International Marketing, Negotiation and Conflict Resolution, Innovation and Entrepreneurship for Sustainability and Thriving at Haas and Beyond. The campus courses I took were Introduction to Economics lecture and Restorative Yoga.

 

Thoughts on Individual Courses

International Marketing: The course was about studying real-life marketing cases at various companies from all over the world. Before the class, we had to read a marketing report about companies, while in the classroom we listened to lectures and guest speakers who are currently working at the companies that we were studying. We also had group projects to analyze companies’ marketing strategies based on what we learned in the lecture. Because I am interested in having a career in marketing, this class was a great opportunity to learn about various strategies and apply them to analyze global firms’ marketing cases and strategies. Hearing from marketing guest speakers who are working at global firms helped me gain new insights.

 

Negotiation and Conflict Resolution: This class was about how to handle real-life business negotiation situations such as wage bargaining and closing the contract between two different companies. Negotiation and resolving conflicts are inevitable in business, and learning how to properly negotiate and solve conflicts is highly related to real-life business settings and my future career. Before the class, we read background stories and information about one side and then only partial information about the other side. During the class, we performed actual negotiations with other students who played certain roles such as sales manager, CFO and CEO. This was followed by lectures about effective negotiation skills and studying how the actual case was closed. After the class, we gave each other peer feedback about the negotiation.

 

Innovation and Entrepreneurship for Sustainability: This course featured sustainability, business ethics and social problems that we could encounter in the real world. During the lecture, we talked about real-life cases and problems about environmental, social and moral issues in the business world. Throughout the semester, we also had a team project where we created a hypothetical company and presented on systems and solutions to deal with certain environmental, moral and social problems. We also had classroom discussions every week, which was a great experience to share our thoughts and learn various views.

This course was one of the most impressive and my favorite classes! Sustainability and innovation are some of the most emphasized assets of entrepreneurs and in the business field, so having a chance to participate in this course led me to prepare for my future career and have proper thoughts and attitudes toward those topics. 

 

 

Having a chance to participate in this course led me to prepare for my future career and have proper thoughts and attitudes toward those topics.

 

 

Thriving at Haas and Beyond: In this class, we focused on developing our careers and learned about the process of getting a job and networking. The lecture covered résumé and CV writing skills, managing our LinkedIn profiles, networking both online and offline, and planning one’s career path. This is a really unique course and helped me prepare for my future job search.

 

Introduction to Economics: This lower-division course covered both macro- and microeconomics, featuring trading and global economic issues, and is required for my business degree. This lecture was a great opportunity to learn basic economic notions and overall economy issues through real-life examples from Europe, the U.S. and even some parts of Asia.

 

Yoga: Studying abroad is a huge change and the experience can be stressful. I wanted to take care of myself and grow resilience by participating in this restorative yoga class. It was truly a great decision because I was able to learn how to relieve my tensions and calm down. I learned about several postures and breathing techniques to help manage my emotions, stress and physical tension. I was able to make friends who are studying different majors.

Focusing on Discussions in Class

The biggest difference between Berkeley and Chung-Ang University was the format. My home university doesn’t have discussions, but Berkeley discussion sections were effective in hearing diverse views about topics and leading me to think deeply about it as compared to a traditional lecture-format course.

Even during the lecture-format classes, many students didn’t hesitate to share their thoughts and asked questions. This was greatly impressive to me because at my home university, students seldom ask questions or share their thoughts in the middle of the lecture; they usually do so after class privately with smaller groups or individually asking questions to an instructor.

Personally, I believe actively asking questions and having a welcoming atmosphere where students feel comfortable to ask questions or share their thoughts is beneficial for all students because they can learn further and think in new ways.

At my home university, the majority of the courses are based on theoretical approaches—even for business or economics majors. But at Berkeley, the courses focused on case studies and real-life applications, which led me to focus more on the course content.

 

 

Berkeley discussion sections were effective in hearing diverse views about topics and leading me to think deeply about it as compared to a traditional lecture-format course.

 

 

Career Coaching

In the Thriving at Haas and Beyond class, I had the chance to have career coaching. I was a bit nervous because it was my very first time being in a career-coaching  session with the professor and I hadn’t already decided which industry I was interested in going into. But from the beginning, the professor helped me to feel comfortable by learning about me and where I come from.

 

 

I was surprised that she was interested in my culture and I gradually immersed myself in the coaching session. She helped me figure out my career path and which field I am interested in by asking step-by-step questions and adding her thoughts and insights.

By participating in this career coaching, I was able to narrow down my choices and focus my career path into doing sales and marketing for cosmetics or for food and beverage. I also got better insights into my current skills and what I need to develop or pursue, such as doing an internship to get hands-on experiences and networking.

She even offered to help me network with alumni who are currently working in marketing and sales! It was truly a great experience to participate in the career coaching and learn more about myself and my career development.

Visiting Innovative Companies

My two favorite companies that I visited were Google and Twitch.

 

At Google, I was able to meet and listen to people who are  working on Google Cloud. They talked about Google’s vision, the skills and experiences that are helpful to work there, and the company’s working culture and environment. I found Google to be full of innovation, creativity, cooperation and diversity. I was grateful to have had such an amazing experience.

At Twitch, I got to participate in a company tour and heard from one of their managers, who shared her own story and her work at Twitch, which was very interesting and helpful for me and the other students. She emphasized networking, which reminded me of the Thriving at Haas and Beyond course, and the importance of taking every opportunity without hesitation.

Taking Time to Travel

 

Outside of the classroom, I tried to travel as much as possible with my friend, who was also studying at Berkeley. We went to Santa Barbara; Las Vegas; Miami; Orlando, Fla.; Seattle; and Vancouver, Canada.

By myself, I traveled to San Diego; Los Angeles; New York City; Chicago; Washington, D.C.; and Hawaii.

Through these travel experiences, I was able to explore amazing places all across the U.S. and appreciate the various cultures, distinctive architecture and beautiful nature of each place.

Every trip brought fascinating memories, but I especially loved visiting Hawaii! I was able to explore the beautiful nature and see wildlife, including whales, turtles, coral reefs and dolphins. I went on a whale-watching tour on a small boat and the whale swam right below the boat, which was a breathtaking and incredible experience! I also learned how to surf, which was on my bucket list for a long time. It was definitely an experience exploring outside my comfort zone, but I really enjoyed it.

When I visited Washington, D.C., I toured the Lincoln Memorial, the Thomas Jefferson Memorial and the Washington Monument. I also saw the White House and well-known museums and galleries such as the National Museum of Natural History and the National Gallery of Art.

 

 

 

I was able to explore amazing places all across the U.S. and appreciate the various cultures, distinctive architecture and beautiful nature of each place.

 

 

My Top 5 Things to Do In the San Francisco Bay Area

Kayaking at Berkeley Marina.

Picnicking with friends at Mission Dolores Park.

Watching a football match at California Memorial Stadium.

Taking pictures of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Watching a beautiful sunset from Grizzly Peak. 

My Future Plans

I see myself working in the overseas sales and marketing department of a global corporation. My journey will be shaped by the invaluable experience I gained through BHGAP. The program not only helped me achieve my dream, but also allowed me to become adept at navigating multicultural settings with understanding and respect.

The practical business knowledge imparted through the Haas courses were helpful for me to learn practical business skills for my career. Additionally, the site visits offered during the program taught me how to network in a professional setting, providing me with a valuable asset for my career endeavors.

Moreover, my English-language proficiency has been significantly enhanced through my time in Berkeley, helping me to eventually work in the overseas field where my English skills will be highly important.

 

 

The program not only helped me achieve my dream, but also allowed me to become adept at navigating multicultural settings with understanding and respect.

 

 

My Advice to You!

Never hesitate, and seize all opportunities that you have during the semester or academic year in BHGAP. I participated in student clubs such as photography, outdoor activities and international student associations, as well as became a member of the BHGAP Student Advisory Board.

 

 

The Student Advisory Board can grow your leadership skills and ability to organize social activities such as the end-of-year party.

 

 

I happily participated as a Global Ambassador and shared my Berkely experience on social media. One might hesitate to challenge oneself with new activities like these, but looking back I was able to learn so many things outside of the classroom and met awesome people. Student clubs definitely help you with making new friends and immersing in the campus, leading you to experience what other Berkeley students are doing.

The Student Advisory Board can grow your leadership skills and ability to organize social activities such as the end-of-year party. Being a Global Ambassador can be also great since you can improve your ability to create media content and at the same time give yourself a diary full of precious memories and pictures.

I also want to emphasize traveling outside of Berkeley because every city and state have their own distinct, unique and wonderful characteristics.

BHGAP is a rare experience and a great opportunity so go explore outside of your own comfort zone because in the end, all of those experiences will be memorable and helpful for your growth.

 

Check out additional photos from my time at Berkeley!