Alex Stuckey

During my time at KU, EALC influenced my career path heavily as I was not sure what I wanted to do after graduating. As time went on, one of my Korean professors persuaded me to take part in the TESOL practicum during the summer of 2018. I received support from many of my professors and was lucky enough to participate in the program. That experience really allowed me to see what teaching in Korea could be like and it was then that I had decided to pursue a career in teaching overseas. Since graduating from KU I have been working in South Korea as an English teacher for two years. Currently, I am the head Native English Teacher at a Foreign Language High School here in the Gyeonggi province.

I chose to study EALC because I have a personal attachment to Korean culture since my mother is from Korea. Growing up I was raised as an American, with some cultural influence in my home but I never learned the language. While at KU I took the opportunity to study East Asian culture and Korean language in order to better understand my family's roots. The most notable experience from my time at KU was the TESOL practicum that the university offers to its students. During that time I was able to get a realistic sense of what teaching in Korea might be like and if it was something I could see as a career path to take after graduating. After returning from the program, I knew that teaching was something that I wanted to pursue.

While studying at KU the support that I received from my Korean professors was so incredibly helpful not only while I was there but afterward as well. They helped me to achieve so much and I cannot be more thankful for the dedication that they have for their students.