W&L's Juyoung Kim '26 Earns Fulbright to South Korea Kim will teach English in a Korean school before pursuing a master's degree in quantum technology and engineering at a German university.

By Emily Innes Stanley
May 6, 2026

Washington and Lee University senior Juyoung Kim '26 has been awarded a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship (ETA) to teach English in South Korea. At W&L, Kim is finishing his Bachelor of Science in physics. Kim is from Palisades Park, New Jersey, and graduated from Palisades Park High School.

The ETA program in South Korea allows participants to fulfill the role of full-time teachers in Korean primary or secondary schools. Responsibilities include teaching up to 22 classes a week, building curriculums and leading an after-school club. ETAs are encouraged to serve as cultural ambassadors, allowing students and faculty to see another side of the U.S. through their lessons, discussions and shared experiences.

"I come from a Korean immigrant background, and although I now feel more confident in my identity as an American with Korean roots, that sense of identity developed over time," said Kim, who received a Gilman Scholarship in 2023 to study Mandarin in Taiwan. "In high school, I taught Korean to second-generation Korean Americans, so the opportunity to now go to Korea and teach English feels like a full-circle moment."

Kim plans to pursue a master's degree in quantum technology and engineering in Germany and sees the ETA as a meaningful way to begin bridging his technical background with community engagement and understanding what it means to be a global citizen. South Korea's global leadership in semiconductor technology and emerging quantum research appealed to Kim, and he looks forward to exploring how advanced science can be made more accessible to broader communities.

Kim is grateful for the mentorship and encouragement he has received from W&L faculty members, both within and outside the Department of Physics. He credits Dan Mazilu, professor of physics and engineering, and Irina Mazilu, the Parmly Professor of Physics and Engineering, with helping him discover his love for quantum computing and technology, and they helped him navigate the application process for master's programs in Germany. Kim is also grateful to Todd Rutkowski, instructor of physics, Tom McClain, assistant professor of physics, and Anthony Edwards, associate professor of Arabic, who have all pushed him to be the best student he could be and encouraged him both personally and professionally.

"Juyoung's passion for physics was readily apparent the very first time I met him," said McClain, who was Kim's adviser. "I will never forget him walking into my office one afternoon and basically saying, 'Aren't you the quantum guy in this department? I want to study quantum physics!' Where many of his peers were put off by the unintuitive or paradoxical aspects of quantum theory, Juyoung always thrived on those elements. I applaud his decision to continue his study of quantum theory at the graduate level, and I look forward to seeing all he will accomplish in the future."

In addition to the community he found in the physics department, W&L's University Singers have become a second family to Kim, and going on tour with the choir during this past academic year was a particularly meaningful experience.

"I connected with people I likely never would have met otherwise, and the group came together in a really special way," Kim said. "The choir is far greater than the sum of its parts, and so much of that is thanks to the leadership and dedication of Shane Lynch (professor of music and director of choral activities). He makes everyone in the group want to give one hundred percent."

With the Fulbright award, Kim will depart in January 2027 for his 11-month program. Upon completion of the program, Kim will move to Germany to pursue a master's degree in quantum technology and engineering.

~~~

Washington and Lee University is proud to be included on the list of U.S. colleges and universities that produced the most 2025-2026 Fulbright U.S. Students for the eighth consecutive year.

The Fulbright Program was established more than 75 years ago to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. For more information, visit https://fulbrightprogram.org/. W&L students interested in applying for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program should contact Matthew Loar in the Houston H. Harte Center for Teaching and Learning (Leyburn 114) or by email at [email protected].

If you know a W&L student who has done great, accolade-worthy things, tell us about them! Nominate them for an accolade.