Meet Seoin Kim, the first Electrical and Computer Engineering graduate from the University of Utah Asia Campus. Kim finished her undergraduate degree with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering in May 2024. Kim was among the first students to enroll in the U Asia Campus ECE program.

Kim began her college career majoring in communications. When the Electrical and Computer Engineering program was introduced to the U Asia Campus during Kim’s sophomore year, she changed her major to computer engineering. Equipped with a strong math and science background, Kim completed 90 credits at the U Asia Campus before finishing her studies at the Salt Lake City campus.

Kim was all smiles recounting her journey from the U Asia Campus to the scenic Salt Lake City campus, recalling how impressed she had been with the scenery and the fresh mountain air when she first arrived in Utah. When engaging in her first classes in Utah, she was “so excited to have the opportunity to collaborate with diverse groups of people.” Kim was invigorated by the larger class sizes that allowed her to collaborate, connect and learn from many different types of people. She was also inspired by the large scale of modern technology available at the Salt Lake City campus, such as the Utah Nanofab laboratory.

Between classes, studying, and tutoring her peers, Kim spent the majority of her time split between the Merrill Engineering Building and the Warnock Engineering Building, calling the WEB “[her] second home.” In addition to being a base of operations for many engineering students, the WEB also hosts the annual ECE Technical Open House. The TOH is an opportunity for all undergraduate seniors to present, demonstrate and answer questions about their final capstone projects. Participating in the TOH was one of Kim’s most memorable experiences.

Working with a small group of students, Kim and her team members dedicated months to showcasing the skills they had learned for their Embedded Systems Design class—notably, Kim’s favorite course!

“I had the best classmates ever,” Kim recalled. “We spent so much time together on our Technical Open House project. We thought everything was working perfectly, but the day before the Open House, something malfunctioned.” Determined to find a solution, Kim and her teammates stayed in the WEB until 5 a.m. until they isolated the problem—a short in the hardware—and got their project working. When they found success just a few short hours before the TOH was due to begin, the team “[cried] and [clapped]” with how “happy [they were] to have figured out the problem.”

Interacting with the campus community, like she did with her TOH team, was a highlight of Kim’s time on the Salt Lake City campus. One of her favorite campus events was the popular semesterly extravaganza, Crimson Nights, which brings the entire student body together for a themed party at the A. Ray Olpin Student Union. “I loved attending Crimson Nights!” said Kim with a smile, recalling that the event was a great way to let loose and make new connections with all types of people. She also enjoyed getting to know the campus community through ECE social hours, job fairs and extracurricular activities like the Ultimate Frisbee Club.

To current and future students, Kim suggests taking every opportunity to branch out and meet new people. “Don’t stick with the same people,” she suggests. “Connect with other students who are already on campus, go to ECE social hours, events and join clubs!”

Overall, Kim is pleased with her experience at the Salt Lake City campus and is excited about what the future holds. Since graduating, Kim has been exploring various employment opportunities. She has been accepted to graduate school here at the University of Utah, and is considering continuing her studies. She looks forward to making meaningful contributions to the field of computer engineering. Her journey reflects the endless possibilities that lie ahead for all University of Utah students.

Written by Lindsay Simas.

First published in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Communicator 2024.