The LMU Center for Asian Business has awarded the John P. Daly, S.J., Summer Scholarships for Cultural Immersion Study in Korea to (from left to right) Carlos Mesa Baron, Danielle La-O, Michael Elias and Noah Bradley. These students will travel to South Korea from July 1 – 26, 2019.
Carlos Mesa Baron
Carlos Mesa Baron graduated from LMU in May 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in international relations and a minor in economics. Carlos is a member of Tau Sigma, Alpha Sigma, and Sigma Iota Honors Society. He most recently worked as an Undergraduate Research Fellow for the Global Policy Institute at LMU. Carlos has always been fascinated by the East-Asia Tiger Economic Miracle that led South Korea to rapidly become an international economic super-power. In the future, he “strives to work as a researcher, policy maker, and leader at an international development institution.” He looks forward to learning some conversational Korean language skills, and gaining a deeper cultural understanding of the region, though government, food and music.
Danielle La-O
Danielle La-O is entering her senior year with a major in accounting. She wanted to participate in this program because she “has always had an admiration for Korean culture, whether it be from watching Korean dramas, listening to K-pop, following Korean fashion and cosmetic trends, or going to various Korean food spots throughout Los Angeles.” As a business student from the Philippines who aspires to one day become a CEO of a successful company, Danielle would like to create a business that has the ability to attract potential consumers from all over the world. Going to Korea and learning about the country and its people is a good way for her to develop global business skills.
Michael Elias
Michael Elias is entering his sophomore year with a major in computer science and a minor in animation. Michael wanted to participate in this program to enhance his understanding of Korean culture and technology. As someone who is half-Japanese, he knows a lot about his Japanese-Hawaiian heritage, but not much about other Asian countries. Michael hopes to combine his computer science skills with his animation skills to make his own company specializing in animation software.Michael is looking forward to learning the Korean language and culture. With Korea being one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world, he would like to “experience a culture that heavily intersects ancient traditions with technological developments.”
Noah Bradley
Noah Bradley is entering his junior year with a double major in theatre arts and international relations. An experience during high school first introduced Noah to the people and culture of South Korea and his perception was forever altered. He chose to study international relations because he sees the benefits of international cooperation in solving our collective global issues. He’s a firm believer that we must first gain a deeper understanding of one another through cultural exchange if we are ever able to find concrete solutions to the problems impacting our world. Noah says having a strong foundational understanding of Korean will make him “a competitive candidate when looking for jobs, notably due to Asia’s rising influence in the international realm.”
About the Scholarships
The scholarships are named in honor of the late John P. Daly, S. J., former director of the Center for Asian Business at LMU. He worked in Korea as a young Jesuit from 1961 to 1981 to help develop Sogang University in Seoul, where he served as president for 12 years. Father Daly’s lifelong goal was to promote a deeper understanding and appreciation of culture and history between Asia, Korea in particular, and America. In this age of globalization, the need for such understanding of history and culture and of the affects of cultural differences on our daily lives has never been greater. These scholarships will provide an opportunity for students to learn the Korean language and to experience its culture and thus help them become leaders in academia, business, and politics.
Sogang University
Jesuits from the Wisconsin Province of the Society of Jesus, at the request of the Korean bishops, opened the first Catholic university in Korea in 1960. It currently enrolls 13,500 students and another 3,000 in graduate programs in six colleges – Humanities, Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, Engineering, Economics, and Business Administration.
Center for Asian Business
The Center for Asian Business in the College of Business Administration at Loyola Marymount University was established in 1995 to promote understanding between Asians and Americans through multiple channels, including an international business course with a four-week overseas experience, faculty research grants, student scholarships and special lectures and movie screenings.
