Name: Shinyi (Amy) Kang
Major(s): Interactive Media, and Business Organizations and Society
Division: Arts and Humanities
Home Country: South Korea
Starting as a biology major, to developing a board game raising awareness of the perils of cocoa farming, Shinyi Kang has come to appreciate that NYU Abu Dhabi celebrates eclecticism in their students’ education and promotes internationalism on campus. “It makes for an interesting atmosphere that I could fit so well into,” Kang said.
Many of Kang’s friends who go to larger universities and colleges in South Korea tend to segregate into groups. “At NYUAD, I can just randomly have a conversation with someone from the opposite side of the world, and that is just the norm,” Kang said.
She likes how tight-knit the student body is despite the fact everyone comes from very different cultural and socio-economic backgrounds. This global exposure opened up her views, thoughts, and knowledge about the world.
Kang enjoys her friends’ companionship so much that she hosted regular dinner gatherings in her residential building where friends came together to cook or order takeout and enjoy a few hours exchanging life experiences.
Flexible Academic Trajectory
The NYU Global Network that NYUAD is part of provided Kang with an unparalleled opportunity to not only study topics and issues relevant to the UAE, but to also study elsewhere in the world and meet new people.
Kang joined NYUAD with the intention to major in biology, and despite not having any experience or background in certain fields, she was able to explore courses outside the realm of science. She developed new interests and chose a double major in interactive media and business, organizations, and society.
For her Capstone Project, Kang designed Cocoa, a board game that relates to both of her majors. The board game raises awareness about the dark side of the chocolate supply chain. Players become cocoa farmers and are tasked with cultivating the plantation, selling cocoa beans, and sustaining livelihoods.
COVID-19 taught Kang the important lesson of being comfortable with not knowing what tomorrow will bring. The pandemic gave her more confidence in living in the moment and being spontaneous. Kang came to NYUAD as a confused and excited first-year student, but now knows that, “NYU Abu Dhabi and its people have and will always be there for me.”
