Emily Park 04C was excited for a new start in a larger, more diverse community at Emory. During first-year orientation, Park quickly found community through Emory’s Korean Undergraduate Student Association (KUSA). “When I arrived at Emory, that was the first time I experienced that much diversity,” Park says. “Before the first day of classes, I already knew I belonged here. Through KUSA, I saw many versions of myself on campus.”

That sense of belonging and community continued throughout her time on campus and after graduation. Many of the friendships she formed during orientation week are still going strong today. Beyond these connections, Park says she left Emory with many skills and qualities that prepared her for success. Much of what she took with her wasn’t from textbooks. Rather the entire experience—encouragement from professors to ask questions, experiential learning opportunities, and conversations with her peers—built her self-confidence. She says, “I learned how to be curious. I knew no matter what curveballs were thrown at me, I had the skills to work through it.”

That’s why the Student Flourishing initiative and the opportunity to play a leadership role in the 2O36 campaign resonated so much with Park. She wants more students to have the experience she had as a student. And she’s making it happen through her philanthropy. The Park Family Scholarship is helping children of church clergy like her find their place at Emory. As a scholarship recipient herself, Park knows firsthand how life-changing financial assistance can be.

Inspired by a recent trip to campus when she sat in on a political science class, Park has also initiated an endowed professorship at Emory with her husband, John. While listening in on a class discussion, Park came to a realization: Through discussions and unpacking information with students, Emory professors were ultimately improving the world, one classroom at a time. And her family wanted to be involved. The Dr. Walter Park Professorship honors her father-in-law—a former journalist and national assemblyman in South Korea.

When asked why she gives to Emory, she says, “My giving is truly personal. This professorship is a thank you to Emory from my family.”