The Power of Positive Thinking

Yoonseok “Yoon” Choi ’15

Living, studying and working in a foreign country is far from easy, but Korea native Yoon Choi ’15 is not one to shirk from challenges, whether as an international student at Dickinson, a member of a two-year Korean Army program or an intern at high-profile, international corporations. The secret to his success? Positive thinking. And that perspective, combined with hard work, is paying off handsomely: After graduation, this economics major will fly to London to begin training for a job with Deutsche Bank, the largest foreign-exchange dealer in the world.

Major:

Economics.

Clubs and organizations:

Student Investment Group (SIG), Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and TA/peer tutor for Fundamentals of Accounting.

Honors/scholarships/awards:

Dean's List.

Favorite book:

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Favorite movie:

The Amazing Spider-Man (2012).

On choosing a major:

When I was young, I wanted to become a diplomat because I was very interested in international relations and wanted to represent my country, South Korea, on the global stage. However, when I was a senior in high school, I became curious about the recession and global economy.

On choosing Dickinson:

When I was a high-school senior, a friend transferred to Dickinson, and he recommended that I apply. As an international student from South Korea who wanted to mingle with students from different backgrounds, I found Dickinson’s focus on globalization extremely attractive. I also wanted to participate in the , because it is a great opportunity to study and have an internship in one of the biggest and most vibrant cities in the world.

On interning in New York:

In spring 2014 I attended Baruch College–the City University of New York [through the Dickinson in New York program], taking classes in banking and accounting, and I also completed an accounting internship with Asia Society. Throughout my time in New York, I had numerous networking opportunities with Dickinson alumni, and I was invited to a brunch at the Harvard Club, one of the best memories I have of New York. I also gained knowledge not only in finance but also in other industries.

Favorite place on campus:

The HUB.

Favorite Dining Hall food:

Scrambled eggs and hash browns.

Proudest accomplishment:

A full-time offer from Deutsche Bank.

Favorite professor:

[Visiting Instructor in International Business & Management] Joy Middaugh. She is very kind and is always willing to help students not only with class material but also with their career plans.

Biggest influence:

If it were not for my parents, I would not be able to achieve my dream in the United States. I also wanted to say special thanks to my dad. I joined the Republic of Korea Army after my freshman year, and even though it was a tough decision to pause my education for the two-year military service, he encouraged me to be positive and told me I would learn a lot from the experience. It turned out to be true.

红杏直播app my internships:

Last summer I interned with Deutsche Bank in the Global Transaction Banking (GTB) division in New York. I was placed in the GTB Americas Regional Management Group, where I worked on several projects, from development and refinement of business cases to partnerships with other divisions within the bank. This internship appealed to me because the bank placed a high level of responsibility on interns, and I was able to participate in global conference calls with senior bankers in the bank’s European and Asian offices. It also offered numerous networking, training and community-service opportunities. I also interned with Taylor Nelson Sofres in Seoul, Korea, where I did marketing research for Samsung Electronics and the Coca-Cola Company, and with Asia Society in New York, where I created accounting policies and procedures manual.

What I learned through these experiences:

It is very important to be willing to learn as much as possible, and from many people, and to understand [how your day-to-day work fits into] the bigger picture.

Post-Dickinson plans:

I will work for Deutsche Bank. First, I will go to London to take part in the DB Global Induction Program, where I will meet fellow new graduates from across the world and receive one-month intensive training in Deutsche Bank’s Global Transaction Banking division services and products. After coming back to New York, I will rotate through four groups in the Global Transaction Banking Division before being placed. For now I am interested in the Structured Trade and Export Finance group.

Learn more

Published April 24, 2015

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