Israel (Izzy) Sun Min Jung is currently located in Seattle, WA and worked for 12 years in development/marketing/parts and service teams at Boeing. Izzy started his involvement as a YG scholarship recipient and was involved in various capacities within KSEA YG, and now is serving as Seattle KSEA’s local chapter president. YG National Board directors Sean Kim (University of Maryland) and Catrina Son (MCPHS) met with Izzy to learn about his involvement with KSEA and his motivations to serve KSEA as a student and now a working professional.
Hello Israel (Izzy)! Can you introduce yourself briefly to the people who are reading this?
Thanks for inviting me today. My name is Izzy Jung. I am currently located in Seattle, WA. I worked at Boeing, an airplane company, for about 12 years in development/ marketing/ parts and service teams. Currently, I am taking a break from work. I have served in different roles in KSEA. Right now, I am serving as the Seattle Chapter president.
I am sure that it must be quite a journey of working and being involved in KSEA YG. What was your first KSEA activity/ experience? How did you begin participating in KSEA?
It was back in Boston, MA when I was a graduate student at Harvard studying mechanical engineering. I was looking for a scholarship that was eligible for Korean students. I came across KSEA hearing from one of my professors. So, I applied for it, and fortunately, I received the scholarship. After the scholarship, I went to the Young Generation Forum (YGF) 2008 in Korea and met numerous people just like us. I made lifelong friends at the YGF including Stella Chun. After that year, as I enjoyed talking to young professionals and students, I went to the Young Generation Technical and Leadership Conference (YGTLC) 2009 in Dallas, TX, which is now Ygnite.
That’s great. Many people join KSEA through their friends and family. As they participate more and more, they love people in the organization and being more active in it. How did you start a YG group in Seattle?
After moving to Seattle for work, I wanted to be involved in the KSEA local chapter and promote undergraduate/graduate students with KSEA activities as I benefited from the organization. I reached out to the local chapter and co-founded the Seattle YG group in 2010. Then, we did tabling at organization fairs, meet and greets, hosting guest speakers, and more to grow the group.
Were you nervous about finding a group from scratch? It must be challenging since there are other organizations including existing Korean organizations.
No, I wasn’t worried about the number of members, but wanted to give back what I received from the org to others. We also collaborated events with other Korean organizations. There may be some similarities due to common areas, but KSEA has specific areas that we can provide resources for.
Why did you continue your involvement within KSEA? What did you learn/ gain from the involvement?
Just like what you are doing right now, we are involved in KSEA for our joy to serve others and provide opportunities for the next generations. My biggest gain from KSEA involvement is lifelong friendships. I wouldn’t be able to meet these many friends who are indifferent career fields, yet caring for each other’s concerns, and who are Korean and American that can share common cultures. It is also good to see the friend’s growth and accomplishments every time when we see each other from annual conferences in KSEA.
You are also currently serving as president of the KSEA Seattle local chapter. As a chapter president, what would you recommend the YG groups to do more in terms of involvement?
I would recommend the YG groups to work closely with the chapter presidents. They want you to be involved with the chapter and also they need you for their chapters. Utilize their network for recruiting guest speakers and funding. Communication is the key to success. Each local chapter has a summer/holiday party. So, please participate with them and voice your needs and presence.
Thank you so much for your insights. I would like to ask you one last question. If you could take someone famous out to a dinner, who would it be and why?
Interesting question. I would like to go to dinner with either JYP or MC Yoo because of their work ethics which made them from unknowns to fame, yet they have kept their humbleness. JYP also knows a lot about health and healthy living while MC Yoo just has a lot of general knowledge which would be interesting to have conversations about if I ever meet them. Lastly, I would invite them as keynote speaker to Ygnite.
- The “Weekend Warriors” is a group of KSEA YG friends who travel all over the country to visit each other on weekends. This picture was taken from a hiking trip in Seattle.
- Izzy’s family participated in Ygnite 2020 held in Los Angeles, California.
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