Kevin Sung, An International Citizen Trying to Help Reno Globalize
Dominick Pasco features a staff at the Northern Nevada International Center, trying among other duties to diversify the University of Nevada, Reno, he once attended.
“My goal is helping us become competitive in this current situation that requires us to collaborate with people from diverse backgrounds because the knowledge is now a common good in this modern society,” Sung says of his efforts trying to get more international students into UNR.
Kevin Sung, originally from Gochang, Korea, currently works at the Northern Nevada International Center, an organization that seeks to promote mutual relationships between the United States and other countries. Here, he does work for the U.S. Department of State through public diplomacy and international exchange programs. One of Sung’s main goals is developing ways to increase UNR’s efforts in globalizing education. His aspirations grew from his own experiences at the university.
“That was the point I found my huge interest in international education,” he says. “I realized that the curriculum that UNR was offering in the higher education administration, a master’s program, was not focusing a lot on international education.”
Stressing that we should host more international scholars at our university as well as invest more in our international students, he also wants better mutual understanding between immigrants and locals.
Sung’s travels and education helped influence his vision.
Originally born in the province Jeollabuk-do in the city of Gochang, about three hours away from Seoul, his small hometown varies drastically from the capital city. With its lush green mountain ranges and overall slow life, he grew into a love for nature, often hiking and sightseeing with friends and family.
After completing his military service, Sung had begun studying abroad in Canada to learn English as a second language. Moving out to the U.S. to focus further on his studies, he was introduced to the University of Nevada, Reno, and was looking into future careers in international affairs. Before he was admitted to UNR, he had begun working on his ESL (English as a Second Language) classes.
“At that time there used to be an English center named Intensive English language center (IELC) that was issuing the conditional admission recommendation letter so then I could get admitted to the University of Nevada Reno without any official English test score,” he said.
When Sung was finally accepted into UNR, he also had the opportunity to study abroad in Shanghai. “It was an eye-opening opportunity for me to be more culturally aware and have more broader perspectives on different cultures,” he said of this opportunity.
After his work as an undergrad, he had finished his bachelor’s degree in international affairs. Kevin received a work job opportunity at the IELC and was working as a student support specialist while simultaneously completing his master’s.
Moving to Monterey, California to study at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, he worked to obtain an international education management master’s degree. Monterey gave him the resources and knowledge to start looking into professional international work.
The IELC had shut down during the pandemic and have since rebranded themselves as the Nevada English Language and Learning Institute (NELLI). They now work to encourage more people to enter ESL classes so that they can provide more opportunities for students to learn English while being exposed to American culture.
Sung himself returned to Reno. The “biggest little city in the world” resembled Gochang in many ways from its natural beauty to its ever-growing opportunities, so he felt it was a good fit for him.
What isn’t surprising is his answer to being asked what he misses the most. “Family and definitely food,” he said.
Currently, Kevin is involved in two national organizations working for U.S. global leadership and public diplomacy. He now acts as a Nevada state advisory committee member of the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition after participating in the USGLC Next Gen Global Leaders Network in 2021. Never short on gaining more experience, he is also a rising professional member of the Public Diplomacy Council, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing academic professionals in public diplomacy. With all of this expertise, he also works tirelessly to pioneer more diversity at UNR.
