Alumni Spotlight: Jeonghoon Ha

In an effort to build community and connection during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Center for East Asian Studies invited alumni, students and visitors to share personal narratives of how the pandemic is impacting their work and community. Check out one these spotlights from our community below.

Jeonghoon Ha, MA ‘13, graduated from Stanford with a degree in East Asian Studies. As a student at the Center for East Asian Studies, Jeonghoon recalls attending seminars by Prof. Condoleezza Rice and former Secretary General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon as among his favorite memories.

After graduating, Jeonghoon worked in the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, a Seoul -based think tank, received an MA from Tsinghua University, and is studying law at New York University.

Like many students around the world, Jeonghoon has felt the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. He says, “My law firm internships have been cut short and will be conducted remotely.”

Despite the challenges presented by the pandemic, Jeonghoon has been finding new ways to connect with family and friends. He notes, “I have learned that I have a very strong support group and that I am not at all alone in this crisis.”

When asked what advice he has for students graduating in the class of 2020, Jeonghoon states “be agile, be resilient, and be patient.”