Aaron Cho: Where Is He Now?
Aaron Cho interned with us during the summer of 2018. He brought his skills, creativity, and innovation to the marketing and communications team. We recently had the opportunity to catch up with Aaron and learn what he has been up to since completing his internship.
The questions and answers below are a part of a series – Where Are They Now?
Where did you volunteer and what was your role?
I volunteered on the strategy and innovation team under Laura Manni and Alex Hladick, as a communications intern.
It’s always a fun time during the summer months at CMMB! In this photo, Aaron joins fellow staff members and interns in sending a sweet message to international volunteer, Helene who was cycling 100 miles for CMMB.
We know that you have many stories from your experience at CMMB. Is there one that stands out the most?
Hearing about what child soldiers have endured in South Sudan was definitely one of the most impactful and eye-opening stories I learned while at CMMB. It’s something I had heard about before, but directly learning just a tiny bit about the lives that these kids have had stolen from them, that was heartbreaking. It really showed me how valuable the work of organizations like CMMB are.
Other than that, I always loved getting to hear the different perspectives of the international volunteers. I remember reading some of Dr. Matthew Jones’ reflections and being so struck by his humility, sense of grit, and hope in harsh circumstances.
Dr. Matthew Jones serving at St. Therese Hospital in South Sudan.
What is your biggest learning from your experience and how has it impacted your professional career?
Even though there is only so much we as fallible people can do, it doesn’t mean we should give up or not care about supporting others. I will always remember Laura Manni’s story about the hummingbird’s determination to alleviate a fire — one droplet of water at a time. I want to carry that kind of determination and hope with me wherever my professional career takes me.
How has your experience changed you personally? How does it reveal itself in the way you live your life?
Getting to intern at CMMB has made me so grateful for the opportunities I have and has given me so much respect for those who dedicate their lives to serving others. It’s still a work in progress, but I’m working on living more humbly with a focus on all the things that God has blessed me with and that I have to be grateful for. I also want to be more generous and thoughtful of other people and their circumstances.
Where are you now and what are you doing?
I am still in New York City, cooking, spending my summer working part-time as a barista at Bluestone Lane (right across the street from the CMMB office!), and developing skills in graphic design (Check out my website here). This summer, I’m also working on a Fulbright application for an English Teaching Assistant award and will be volunteer teaching English to immigrants through, We Speak NYC. I’ll start my last semester to complete my B.A. in Humanities from The King’s College in August!
What do you hope to do in your future?
I would love to become a graphic designer or copywriter and work in food-related media companies. I still have a heart for the non-profit sector, but I hope to gain a little more life experience and technical skill in design that I can bring with me before then. I am also extremely excited for the chance to teach abroad if all goes well with my Fulbright application!