Student spotlight: Kelly S. Kim

Kelly S. Kim is a coterminal student who will receive a master’s degree in communication, a bachelor’s degree in international relations, as well as a minor in modern languages, from Stanford this spring. Below, she shares why she chose to pursue these degree programs, her favorite class at Stanford, and her plans following graduation.

Why did you choose your degree programs?

I chose my major, minor, and co-term for their interdisciplinary, expansive approach to addressing some of the world's most complex problems. As someone with a wide variety of interests, I wanted to pursue an academic career that would allow me to synthesize my research passions and create my own field of expertise. As such, my focus in international relations was international security and cyber policy, while my focus in communication was political communication and digital authoritarianism. These interests culminated in my thesis written about Uyghur usage of hidden linguistic transcripts to resist Chinese state-sponsored censorship and its significance given the context of the genocide.

What has been your favorite class at Stanford and why?

INTNLREL 174: Diplomacy on the Ground taught by Dr. Robert Rakove. As an aspiring diplomat myself, I enjoyed diving into case studies and biographies of former diplomats who had instrumental roles in shaping the foreign policy decision-making apparatus functional in our government today. From discussing the history of women diplomats in the State Department to the difficulties of implementing human rights diplomacy at the federal and embassy levels, this class was invaluable in shaping my perception of U.S. diplomacy and its role in the international world order.

What kind of co-curricular activities did you participate in during your time at Stanford?

As a peer advisor for IR program, I had the pleasure of guiding prospective majors through their declaration process and supporting declared students through the major. As a research assistant at the Stanford Cyber Policy Center, I analyzed the ways in which ethical AI governance that upholds human rights standards can be implemented by governmental institutions. At the Brookings Institution, I prepared research on state and federal election laws relevant to election security. As a Writing in the Major Fellow at Hume, I assisted students in Professor Fishkin's classes with analytical writing. As an intern in the U.S. Department of Justice, I conducted extensive research on mass atrocities prevention in conjunction with international human rights law.

Tell us your favorite major/minor/program-related story or experience.

My favorite IR-related memory was peeking out the door of the IR lounge in Encina to catch a glimpse of President Barack Obama with peers and other members of the IR community!

As you reflect on your time at Stanford, what are you most proud of?

I am most proud of my willingness to go outside of my comfort zone to explore new opportunities and for pushing the boundaries of existing research fields to find what I am truly passionate about. I have also had the wonderful opportunity to take Chinese, Spanish, and French at Stanford and am proud of myself for sticking with my language studies!

What are your plans after graduation?

I plan to pursue a career in Washington, DC at the intersection of law, foreign policy, and diplomacy. This summer, I will be interning for the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.

How has your degree program changed your understanding of the world and prepared you for your next steps?

Through IR, I have learned to understand the world from a compassionate, multi-faceted perspective that takes into consideration crucial political, historical, and social contextualizations of why and how the world came to be. This multidimensional view has prepared me for whatever lies next and has taught me that there is no predetermined career path that I must follow. All that matters is that I do what I am passionate about!