Isaac Jambor

When I was 18 years old, I decided that I would be studying East Asian languages and cultures for the rest of my life upon returning home from a year abroad in Deyang, Sichuan, China. Placing heavy focus on the Chinese language portion of the EALC curriculum at KU myself, the faculty taught me how to courteously communicate with Chinese people using Mandarin and cultural understanding, a skill that has opened doors to many opportunities in different organizations’ international offices. The growth of East Asia is rapid, and organizations in both the private and public sectors are now investing heavily in personnel with skills that KU’s EALC department provides.

Since graduation, I have been hired by the fiduciary wealth-planning firm Creative Planning in Overland Park as a planning associate due to the firm’s search for Mandarin-speaking employees. After training and practice, I will be working with the team that focuses on planning for Chinese clients, many of whom are investors. Thus, the curriculum provided by EALC has opened a direct path to becoming a senior international wealth advisor, working in-person with highly affluent Chinese clients. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t overwhelmed with excitement upon receiving the call post-interview. 

Moreover, the e-mail presenting this opportunity was sent to me by my professors. The company had contacted the EALC faculty in search of candidates, and the opportunity was promptly forwarded to graduates. Not only did my major open a door towards a compelling goal, the EALC faculty drew my eyes straight to it. 

If a student at the University of Kansas is interested in or inspired by the languages and/or cultures of East Asia, then the curricula provided by the University of Kansas’ East Asian Languages and Cultures department are fantastic to follow. Not only will the faculty guide a student in building a strong foundation in both knowledge and future career skills—they may also guide you directly to your dream.