Student Spotlight: Caleb Youn
Caleb Youn is a junior pursuing his Bachelor of Arts in Languages with an emphasis in German and minors in both History and International Studies. Caleb is an active student in the community and on campus. He is the secretary of the German Culture Club, a loyal member of the Friday German conversation table, and a student counselor for the ASD German Camp. Caleb grew up with two mother tongues, English and Korean, and finds that learning languages is a key in overcoming cultural barriers and becoming a part of a bigger world. After graduation, Caleb plans to utilize his language degree in combination with his prior experience in the healthcare profession in Germany for several years to gain international experience.
Caleb sat down with us to discuss his academic journey, the excitement of learning a new skill, and advice for future languages students.
Can you tell me a little bit about what brought you to the University of Alaska, Anchorage? What are your plans for after graduation?
“I knew that I wanted to go to school, and initially I wanted to go into the medical field and become a doctor. A lot of my family, like my sister, are pursuing degrees in the medical field, so I started there. Additionally, since I was born in Germany, I decided to minor in German. I put my feet in the water a bit, I just took it as an extra fun class. While I was in these classes I was scrolling on Instagram, and the posts were coming up in German and I automatically started to read the posts… just automatically, and I didn’t even think twice about that. Once it was brought up, I started to really dive deep, and I realized that becoming a doctor is not what I wanted to do with my future. I wanted to pursue this feeling I have for the German language, and what my family background means to me. More than that, I realized that medicine is not my calling. A lot of people say that in order to go into medicine, you have to have a calling for it, and I realized two years ago it was just not mine. I found my calling in the Languages.
I am only a junior, so nothing is set in stone. But right now, after graduation, I am looking to return back to Germany. I am very focused on German and elevating my knowledge of the Germanic language.”
You are an active student in different areas on campus. Can you share more about your involvement in some of the clubs or organizations on campus?
“I've been trying to actively contribute to the Department of Languages. For example I am currently the secretary for the German Culture Club, and try to participate in the Friday meetings of the German coffee table called Kaffeeklatsch. I am also a part of the Declamation for the State of Alaska World Competitions. Every summer, I also participate as a counselor for the yearly ASD German summer camps. As long as I’m here at the university, I just want to bring out how important languages are overall. I will continue to stay involved, and hopefully raise awareness of the importance of languages beyond my fellow German students.
Do you have any advice for students who are trying to figure out paths to pursue academically?
“I would say, do not be afraid to test the waters. There are a lot of choices, and you won’t know where your passion is until you test out a variety of areas. For the languages, much like choosing medicine, there has to be a calling, you have to have a passion for languages. I was only able to find that passion for myself by trying out a class, and pursuing it from there. There are also plenty of ways to pursue the languages. You can learn them as a major, or in a smaller way with a minor. Regardless, majoring in a language requires your passion, your time and dedication. I think this advice applies across the board though. For other majors, I’d say if you’re really interested in that field in the long run, then you’ll do just fine.”
Thank you Caleb for your time and great advice. Good luck in your future endeavors.