A student at the Indiana University Kelley School of Business in Indianapolis has had a front-row seat to the resurgence of manufacturing in central Indiana thanks to an internship supporting activity to create two new electric vehicle manufacturing plants in the region.
Yujin Seong, a junior majoring in business management and international studies at the Kelley School, was recently nominated for Work-Based Learner of the Year through Work + Learn Indiana for her role as the Korea Project coordinator at the International Center of Indianapolis. The center provides consulting services to the city of Kokomo, the primary site of an investment from car company Stellantis and battery producer Samsung SDI that is expected to create over 2,800 jobs.
“This has been the perfect place to launch my professional career path,” Seong said of the International Center. “It’s amazing to be in a place where you really feel like you’re respected. I’ve learned so much about work ethics, professionalism, communications and work-life balance in this position.”
A Korean exchange student at a high school in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan before joining IU, Seong applied for an internship with the International Center at the start of her sophomore year. Soon after, she was invited to meet with a representative from the organization at an internship fair on the Indianapolis campus.
“They were really eager to find people who understood Korea as a native,” Seong said, noting that her experiences as a business major who has lived in Michigan, Indiana and South Korea made her uniquely positioned to help the International Center span the cultures of the Midwest and the Republic of Korea.
After joining the center at the start of this year, Seong was promoted to the position of Korea Project coordinator in August.
A nonprofit organization established 50 years ago under the then-mayor of Indianapolis Richard Lugar, the International Center supports Indiana’s international growth in collaboration with businesses, organizations, government agencies, educational institutions and individual citizens. Work + Learn Indiana is a nonprofit institution within the Indiana Chamber of Commerce that links employers, learners, high schools, colleges and universities.
The International Center’s Korea Project is focused on fostering business and cultural exchange between Indiana and the Republic of Korea, including supporting the Korea-Indiana Partnership, an initiative between the Indiana Economic Development Corp. and the International Center.
The group, which held its first meeting in Indianapolis on Nov. 14, includes representatives from business and governmental organizations from Korea and Indiana. Among them is Hilary Kahn, associate vice chancellor for international affairs at IU Indianapolis and associate vice president for international affairs at IU Bloomington.
In her role as Korea Project coordinator at the International Center, Seong’s responsibilities include assisting with events and collecting timely insights about Korean perceptions of the United States, including Indiana. The International Center provides those insights to the city of Kokomo to support Stellantis’ efforts to attract Korean talent to the region, in addition to hiring locally.”
“Mayor Moore really sees the people first,” Seong said of Kokomo Mayor Taylor Moore. “It’s not just about financial investments or money for him. He really appreciates Koreans as individuals, as businesses and families who are coming into his city, and he wants to do a good job making a home for them in Indiana.”
For example, Seong said that Kokomo has already established seven Korean restaurants in the city, including at least one famous for its chi-mek. Loosely translated as “chicken and beer,” chi-mek is an important part of Korean after-work culture, like “happy hour” in the U.S. The desire for these type of experiences — and concerns about their absence — are a frequent topic in the online forums where Seong collects information about Koreans’ thoughts and concerns about moving to the United States.
“For a person coming to Kokomo from Korea, who has never lived abroad, Kokomo is really exotic,” Seong said. “They’re looking for a safe environment with a good education system and affordable housing, and they also want to know they can access their favorite restaurants and foods at the supermarket.”
Colin Renk, vice president for partners and services at the International Center, has praised Seong’s strong adaptability and cultural intelligence, noting her ability to switch seamlessly between American and Korean cultural norms and serve as an effective bridge between Korea and the Hoosier state. He has also said her “bright energy and continuous enthusiasm” contribute positively to the workplace the International Center.
Looking ahead, Seong said she is eager to continue her work with the International Center, which she said combines her interests in international diplomacy with the speed and efficiency of the business world.
“I’ve made so many excellent connections in this position,” she said. “I’m really interested in staying focused on international affairs and international business, and I would love to stay in Indiana. This whole experience has really opened my eyes to all of the connections between the state and my home country.”
The 2025 Work-Based Learner of the Year will be recognized Feb. 13 at the 19th annual Indiana Worked-Based Learning Conference in Noblesville, Indiana.