Daniel Kim '14

Calvin's international student body comes from literally all corners of the world. International students from disparate cultures and backgrounds often find commonality and community with each other, despite their vast differences. Through a new program organized by Calvin alumnus Daniel Kim, Calvin's international students are contributing their cultural knowledge and language skills to a critical problem in West Michigan: reuniting refugees with lost family members.

Daniel Kim, a 2014 grad with an International Relations degree, has been interested in all things global since a young age. He recalls a specific moment as a young boy when his passion for international issues was ignited:"As a kid, I watched the first official concert performed by Americans in North Korea. As the New York Philharmonic, led by conductor Lorin Maazel, played, I was stunned to hear them playing Korea's national anthem. The music was more than just instruments, it was a melody of world peace, love, and hope for unification of two Koreas. For me, this concert shed a light on the power of diplomacy and humanitarian action."

While studying at Calvin, three of Daniel's internships, working with refugees at Lutheran Social Services and Civilian Fellowship for International Exchange, and working with global social workers at World Renew, deepened his understanding of challenges facing refugees. After graduating from Calvin, Daniel landed an International Services Associate and Instructor position with the American Red Cross, an ideal opportunity for him to make a real impact on the lives of refugees in West Michigan.

When refugees flee their countries, seeking safety from violence and threats, they frequently lose contact with loved ones in the chaos of their escape. They are shifted from refugee camp to camp, country to country, before they're finally resettled in a long-term home. They rely on organizations like the American Red Cross to help them reconnect with lost loved ones.

A critical piece of making those reconnections happen is the ability to communicate in specific languages. To increase the local Red Cross' success rate, Daniel dreamed up the idea of harnessing the power of Calvin's international student body. He created the Global Language Bank program, in which student volunteers or interns use their language skills to search out lost loved ones as well as enhance refugees' lives in other ways.

Currently, the program is composed of twelve international students from Calvin, conducting humanitarian work such as translating and interpreting for refugees, writing cultural journals, creating educational videos, and more. The interns collectively speak more than 15 languages and are available seven days a week. The Global Language Bank provides in-person and over-the-phone interpretation as well as written translations.

One of the interns, J.T. Lee, said of his experience working with the Global Language Bank,"This internship is a unique opportunity to use different cultures and languages to serve people around the world. The Global Language Bank symbolizes the beauty of diversity and the power of collaboration."

The Calvin students' willingness to contribute their time and talents has not gone unrecognized by the American Red Cross. The program is seen as a model, and the organization is pursuing ways to implement similar programs nationwide. And as for Daniel Kim, he has been awarded the Red Cross' "Member of the Month" for the State of Michigan in honor of his vision for and implementation of this program.

Written by Laurie Lemmen, posted May 2015