[Student Reporter] Yul Kwon gives students a confidence boost

Diana Im / Grade 11.California Academy of Mathematics and Science

Yul Kwon could be introduced in several ways that spell out "success": Stanford University alum Yale Law School alum and winner of the CBS show Survivor: Cook Islands.

"My parents always thought academics were the only way but at some point in order to do well in this country you have to learn to build social skills and a social network" Kwon shared. "So it's not just about doing well in school. You want to be well rounded you want to make friends actually socialize and have fun. It's not a waste of time because you're building the network to continue on with your life and succeed."

Kwon was a guest speaker at the McDonald's sponsored 6th Annual LA College Fair hosted by The Korea Daily on Saturday September 17 at Grace Korean Church in Fullerton Calif.

"It's definitely important to be able to distinguish yourself away from the rest of the crowd" Kwon explained understanding the competition students face in getting into college. But while academics and grades are important Kwon said they're not the only way to stand out. Colleges are looking for "people [who] are passionate."

As a second generation Korean American growing up in the United States Kwon has seemingly achieved the "American Dream." After graduating from Stanford University he went to Yale Law School one of the top law schools in the nation. He worked at multiple law firms and served as a legislative aide to U.S. Senator Joseph Lieberman. He was a Google strategy and operations group member and a management consultant for McKinsey & Company.Today he's best known for his victory on the reality show Survivor. However Kwon admits he wasn't always the outgoing sociable person that he is today.

"The hardest thing in high school was confronting my fears and talking to people...I started trying to change myself little by little doing things that made me afraid. I signed up for a drama class which scared the heck out of me...I started playing sports because I didn't want to be bullied all the time. I even started talking to girls which is something I never thought I'd do. But a lot of the time I would try these things and fail. One thing that I learned however is that if you try and fail it's not the end of the world."

Jasmine Cha a senior at Scripps Ranch High School said "I really thought that he was inspirational. I got the feeling that I can do this. I really connected with him."

John Shin a junior at University High School also related to Kwon's words. "I thought that maybe I should be doing something beyond myself to go beyond the little bubble I live in."