The 19th Korea Daily College Fair returned to an in-person format for the first time in five years, drawing more than 500 parents and students to Choong Hyun Mission Church in LA on the 11th. The event showcased the strong educational enthusiasm of the Korean American community, providing direct admissions consultations and strategic guidance for students and families.
Hosted by the Korea Daily (Joongang Ilbo USA) with McDonald’s APA Next (Asian Pacific American Next program) as the title sponsor, the fair brought together UC admissions officers, community college representatives, academies, and scholarship organizations to offer seminars and one-on-one counseling on changing admissions policies, financial aid, and major selection.
The event opened with remarks from Yoonho Nam, CEO of The Korea Daily, who compared students’ college journeys to “chicks breaking out of their shells,” saying a small amount of support can help them grow stronger. Ebrahim Maghsoud, chair of the McDonald’s APA Committee, shared that he came to the U.S. from Iran at 17, worked at McDonald’s to pay tuition, and now supports initiatives that uplift the Asian community.
Admissions professionals including Jevon Edwards, Associate Director of UC Santa Barbara, Kaamilah Sha, Admissions Officer at UC Irvine, and Kiersten Elliott, Dean of Community & Academic Relations at Santa Monica College, led sessions explaining UC admission strategies and preparation by major.
Following the UC session, a talk titled “A Scholar’s Journey” featured former APA scholars Emily Truong, a USC graduate now at Deloitte, and Wendy Wang, Vice President of Marketing and Communications at APIA Scholars. Both emphasized the role of mentorship and resilience. Truong encouraged students by saying, “Failure is the beginning of growth.”
The event space was divided into a first-floor booth area and a second-floor seminar hall. Booths from UC Santa Barbara, UC Irvine, Santa Monica College, University of Utah, Cal State Long Beach, Admission Masters, AGM Institute, Boston Education, and the LA County Department of Mental Health drew large crowds throughout the day. The McDonald’s APA booth, which offered scholarship information via QR code along with snacks, smoothies, and merchandise, was among the most popular.
Upstairs, education-focused lectures by Richard Myung of AGM Institute, Jenny Wheatley of Admission Masters, and Sue Byun and Wonjong Kim of Boston Education attracted strong interest from parents eager for insights on admissions and financial aid.
The fair concluded with a prize drawing that awarded round-trip airfare to Korea, MacBooks, Samsung TVs, and Amazon gift cards to attendees.
BY HANKIL KANG [kang.hankil@koreadaily.com]
AND YOONSEO SONG [song.yoonseo@koreadaily.com]
