Korean Alumni Group Reignites Connections

An international alumni organization can accomplish a lot for its members: It can help keep graduates connected to their alma mater and fellow alumni across borders. It can open opportunities for prospective and current students to network globally with alumni. And it can promote the name and reputation of the university around the world.  

These objectives and more were on the minds of a group of graduates from The University of Texas at Austin, now living in South Korea, when they set themselves to the task of revitalizing their country’s alumni organization. 

During COVID, the former South Korean alumni group lost momentum as the leaders’ focus shifted necessarily toward family, career and life demands. The leaders asked the younger generations of alumni to step up to lead the organization, and now, years later, the group is making a comeback, rebranded as the UT Association of Korean Alumni (UTAKA). 

As of 2024, Longhorn alumni in Seoul numbered above 3,000, ranking South Korea as the country containing the second-highest number of UT graduates outside the United States. UTAKA helps connect and advocate for those Longhorns living in South Korea. 

“I set our vision as ‘the advancement of Longhorns in Korean society,’ ” said John Yohan Kim (B.S. ’05, petroleum engineering), who serves as UTAKA president. “At the most basic level, I wanted to build an organization where Longhorns can push and pull for each other across every field.” 

Reaching Out to Start Anew 

Part of the association’s rebrand included creating and implementing new leadership positions. The new membership development role, which cross-references potential alumni through social media, allows the association to gather broader information to rebuild their alumni database. 

Online outreach methods continue to play an essential role in UTAKA’s revitalization. UTAKA membership development committee member Soojin Park (B.A. ’21, government and Asian cultures and languages) said the committee uses platforms such as Instagram, LinkedIn and email for member recruitment and to keep members informed about ongoing activities. 

Park said she also initiated outreach to Korean student organizations at UT to help build bridges between current students and alumni through social media collaborations and joint events. During the 2024-2025 academic year, roughly 170 UT students studied abroad in South Korea, presenting many opportunities to connect. 

“Among the leadership team, I’m one of the youngest members, and that helps me understand and relate to the newer generation of alumni,” Park said. “For UTAKA to continue growing, it’s important that younger alumni feel welcomed and involved.” 

Innovating to Build Membership 

Kim said the organization also created an international relations role to further expand its reach beyond previous boundaries.  

“We wanted to make sure that anyone connected to Texas — not just UT alumni — felt welcome to reach out,” Kim said. “This way, we can serve as a channel between Texas and Korea. Plus, it gives us a good excuse to meet more frequently.” 

Yongtae Jeon (B.A. ’10, economics), who serves as UTAKA’s vice chair of membership development, said UTAKA’s short-term goals are to bring together dispersed alumni. For the long term, Jeon hopes the association can engage in meaningful activities that serve the local community while also contributing to UT’s development.  

“Funding and volunteer activities would be directed to where they are needed among the local community and UT students,” Jeon said. “For instance, a UTAKA member could arrange company visits for UT students.” 

Bonding at Community Events  

In addition to implementing online outreach methods, UTAKA emphasizes community-building events. During the past year, the organization has hosted numerous gatherings for alumni and study abroad students in the area, such as a UT vs A&M watch party and luncheon, Seoul Longhorn Run, and baseball night out.  

The events have resulted in enthusiastic participation from members. At the baseball night out, dozens of Longhorns showed up at the stadium to cheer on Seoul's team together, and the UT-A&M watch party drew many Longhorn alumni from the surrounding areas, many of them representing in burnt orange.  

The association also hosted a dinner with UT College of Education Director of Development Caitlin McCombs to share experiences and discuss UT’s vision for Korea. And at a 2024 event, UTAKA hosted a packed event at which alumni mingled with UT students studying in Seoul for the first-semester-abroad program, Take the World by the Horns.  

Joanne Kim (B.A. ’17, Iberian language, literature and culture), UTAKA’s public relations chair, said helping Korean alumni cultivate and maintain their bond with the University community is one of UTAKA’s main objectives. She hopes to make everyone who joins the group feel welcome.  

“From my experience at UT, sense of community was a big thing,” she said. “I want to bring that to our UT community in Korea for every member.”  

Advice for Fellow Alumni Groups 

Since UTAKA’s rebrand, the association’s impact on its members has grown. John Kim said recent graduates have sought career advice; rising corporate professionals have looked for mentors to guide them along their career paths; and a growing number of members have connected with each other. Additionally, UTAKA is in the process of automating alumni matching for employment, mentoring or PR.   

For any UT alumni who want to start or revitalize an alumni association in their own city or area, Kim advised recruiting a leadership team of people willing to sacrifice and stay committed from the beginning.  

It’s extremely difficult to gather people in today’s hectic world, he said, but once a bond has been forged, that initial progress will be easier to build upon — especially if the events are fun, the community is consistently encouraged to attend, and a sense of pride is cultivated within the community. 

With all that in mind, Kim shared an inspiring objective with his team of committed colleagues: 

“Let’s make it feel like we graduated from the best school in the world.”