Ha Jin Park ('17)

Ha Jin Park ('17)

1. Please tell us a little about yourself!

I'm from Seoul and Hong Kong. I graduated class of 2017 and majored in Psychology. 

2. Why did you decide to become a Chinese Language and Literature major? How did it shape your experience at Wellesley?

My minor in Chinese Language and Culture naturally came about because I was taking classes that sounded interesting to me, with professors who were super knowledgable and passionate about their subject area. Girl in East Asia and Chinese Cinema remain two of the most memorable and eye-opening classes I took in college. They have helped me to better understand myself and my position in the socio-historical context. I didn't think I would go all the way to Wellesley and end up learning so much more about the places I grew up in and came from, but that is a testament to how strong the EALC department is. 

3. What are you doing now?

I am currently a legal fellow at Justice Without Borders, a non-profit organization in Hong Kong that supports cross-border litigation for high need foreign domestic workers.

4. How has your Wellesley experience and your major influenced your life/career after college?

My Wellesley experience and EALC classes have instilled a greater interest in and appreciation for my home cities and for East Asian cultures. I will begin law school in the fall and actually hope to work on legal and human rights issues in Asia after graduating. I intend to further improve my Mandarin and Korean in order to do so and to indulge my new-found appetite for cinema in my free time!