When we last connected with Somin, an international student from South Korea, she was in the early stages of her undergraduate journey at the University of South Carolina, eager to turn her lifelong love of sports into a meaningful career. Passionate about baseball and eager to grow, she had taken a bold step away from home to pursue opportunities she couldn’t find in Korea.
Now, just a few years later, Somin is reaching a major milestone by graduating in May 2026 after completing her bachelor’s degree in just three years, while maintaining a 3.85 GPA and gaining hands-on experience in professional baseball.
We caught up with Somin to learn how she accelerated her degree without sacrificing academic quality, what she gained from her internship with the Columbia Fireflies, and how serving as an International Accelerator Program (IAP) Ambassador shaped her leadership style.
A Fast-Moving First Semester
Somin remembers her first few weeks on campus as a blur: exciting, busy, and full of adjustment. Like many international students, she was learning quickly how to manage schedules, navigate campus routines, meet people, and settle into a new language environment.
The early friendships she built with other international students made the transition feel less overwhelming and more shared — the kind of support that often turns a new place into a real home. One memory that stayed with her was a potluck where students brought and shared food from their home countries. It was a simple event that made her new environment feel welcoming.
In the beginning, speaking in English was one of the biggest hurdles. Somin didn’t try to wait until she felt ready. Instead, she practiced in real time by speaking even when her language skills weren’t perfect, and learning through everyday interactions.
“Ever since I got here, I just keep my open mind and try my best to speak something out of my mind and not to translate in my head — just spit out anything that I wanna say — and I think that kinda helped me grow my confidence,” she shares.
Over time, she became more comfortable not only in academic conversations but in social settings too, where she joked with classmates, chatted naturally, and felt at ease speaking without fear.
This confidence began to influence other areas of her life and Somin found herself making decisions more assertively, taking initiative in group settings, and stepping forward instead of waiting to be asked. The uncertainty that marked her first semester slowly turned into determination.
And with that determination came a bigger question: if she was capable of adapting this quickly, why not challenge herself academically as well?
Why She Chose to Graduate Early
Graduating in three years requires planning, discipline, and clarity about your goals. For Somin, her goals were deeply personal. “My biggest motivation is my family,” she says. “They trust me and they sent me here. I thought I should prove something to my parents.”
That sense of responsibility fueled her work ethic, but it wasn’t the only driver. Somin also holds herself to high standards. She thrives on doing her best and takes pride in pushing herself beyond expectations, adding that she feels better about herself when she scores As and Bs.
Together, this combination of gratitude for her family’s support and an internal drive for excellence shaped how she approached her time at USC. She wasn’t focused on rushing through her degree. She was focused on accelerating her timeline while maintaining academic excellence and depth with a 3.85 GPA. So, how exactly did she do it?
How She Maintained a High GPA While Staying on Track
What stands out about Somin’s academic approach is her self-awareness. Rather than searching for a “perfect” study formula, she focused on understanding her strengths and shaping her habits accordingly.
She recognized that she performed best when she prepared in focused bursts, especially for exams, and she leaned into that strength. When it mattered most, she created structure by spending more time in the library during finals, setting clear priorities, and putting in consistent effort.
Somin believes students do better when they combine discipline with calmness, in which they take their studies seriously, but don’t treat every assignment like the end of the world. This balance helped her stay steady, especially during demanding weeks.
Her approach is a reminder that academic success often comes down to two things:
knowing what works for you, and
using the support around you instead of trying to do everything alone.
Treating Resources as Opportunities, Not Safety Nets
Early in her studies, Somin ran into a challenge that’s common for international students — academic writing. Even with strong English skills and preparation, writing weekly papers in a university environment can feel intense, especially due to new expectations, feedback styles, and pressure to write clearly and persuasively.
Instead of struggling silently, she booked an appointment with USC’s Student Success Center for peer writing support. The experience surprised her because she was guided through how to improve the writing itself, and given practical suggestions she could use throughout her studies.
After that first session, she kept going back. The result was stronger writing, better grades, and more confidence in her academic voice. Somin’s philosophy is straightforward: if the resource exists, and it’s part of what you’re paying for as a student, then use it. For international students, that mindset can be a game-changer because it turns campus services into a strategy not a last resort.
Career Preparation Starts Early
Somin’s decision to study at USC was based on the strength and reputation of its sport and entertainment management programs. According to the Shanghai Rankings, USC has been rated #1 multiple times in sport science and is currently part of the #2 rankings of sport science programs in the US. The university is also ranked #7 for Best Universities for Sports Management in America by Niche, reflecting both academic quality and strong career outcomes.
At the heart of its reputation is the David and Nicole Tepper Department of Sport and Entertainment Management, where theory and practice are closely integrated. Faculty members have served as presidents of the NFL, NHL, and NBA teams, sold out arenas, and managed global entertainment tours with their industry experience bringing a practical perspective into the classroom, connecting coursework directly to real career pathways.
Somin leveraged this access to experienced faculty and industry-connected programming from the beginning. She recognised that USC’s value extended beyond lectures, and she actively engaged with the resources available to her. By attending internship expos, career fairs, and networking events well before she needed a job, she positioned herself to learn directly from professionals and build meaningful relationships early.
This proactive mindset carried into her studies. In one sports management course, industry professionals visited weekly to share insights into how they built their careers, along with the challenges and decisions that shaped them. As a result, lectures felt closely aligned with the realities of the industry.
For a student pursuing a career in sports and entertainment, this integration of academics, industry access, and networking opportunities can make a meaningful difference by transforming a degree from a set of requirements into a clear and connected professional direction.
The Columbia Fireflies Internship
Somin’s internship with the Columbia Fireflies became one of the most defining experiences of her undergraduate career. She found the opportunity through USC career resources and the Handshake app; she applied, and stepped into a fast-paced role as a Stadium Operations Intern. Her responsibilities reflected the behind-the-scenes reality of sports organizations: supporting game-day operations, interacting directly with fans, assisting with promotional events, and helping wherever needed.
I think it was a great experience that I got outside my comfort zone and the Handshake app really helped me.” — Somin from South Korea, sports management major, University of South Carolina
The internship was physically demanding, especially during the height of summer. Supporting game-day operations and fan engagement meant spending long days outdoors in high temperatures. Yet Somin never framed the experience as something to endure; instead, she saw it as a meaningful challenge that pushed her to adapt quickly and learn in real time.
More importantly, the internship gave her a deeper understanding of how sports management really works — the intersection between the game itself and the business engine that keeps the organization running. It helped her see that sports success depends on the entire system: operations, fan experience, marketing, logistics, and revenue strategy.
Giving New Students What She Needed
As an IAP Ambassador, Somin stepped into the very support system that once guided her through her own transition to USC. The role feels natural for her because she’s outgoing, energized by meeting new people, and genuinely enjoys building connections, but it has also deepened her understanding of leadership.
For Somin, leadership isn’t about being the loudest voice in the room. It’s about listening closely, recognizing when someone feels overwhelmed, and creating a space where new students feel safe and included. She offers practical guidance, from housing advice to navigating campus life, and just as importantly, she provides reassurance.
She remembers what it felt like to arrive unsure and adjusting, and she’s intentional about making that first semester less intimidating for others. In many cases, those conversations extend beyond orientation week, growing into lasting friendships and support networks that shape a student’s entire experience at USC.
How Her Goals Expanded
When Somin first imagined her future, it was tied closely to home in Korea with its familiar pathways and familiar industry structures. However, studying in the US changed her frame of reference.
“I think more globally now. If I were in Korean universities, I wouldn’t think about getting a job in the US, or even other countries, but now I feel like I’m more open-minded … so I’m open to every other country,” she shares.
Somin still hopes to become a general manager of a Korean baseball team in her hometown one day, but studying at USC has expanded her sense of possibility. Now she thinks more globally by considering marketing, sports operations, and even sports apparel brands like Nike or Lululemon.
Why USC Was the Right Decision
Looking back, Somin doesn’t hesitate when asked whether she would make the same choice again. “Of course,” she says. “It was definitely the right decision.”
USC challenged her in ways she didn’t expect and helped her discover strengths she didn’t know she had. Through the International Accelerator Program, academic support services, leadership opportunities, and career resources, she built a foundation that allowed her to graduate early without sacrificing depth.
Graduating in three years, maintaining a strong GPA, building industry experience, and stepping into leadership roles does not happen by accident. It happens through intention and by using academic support services, practicing English daily, attending career events early, and saying yes to opportunities that might feel unfamiliar at first.
For international students considering the US, the message Somin wants to share is that what begins as uncertainty can turn into confidence. What feels overwhelming at first can become momentum, and, with the right mindset, a university experience can become preparation for a global future.
