More than two decades ago, Higgin Kim ’69 had a conversation with the dean of the Farmer School of Business that changed some of his outlook on life.

“He said to me, ‘I know you have been doing this and that and investing here and there. The best investment you can do is creating a fund for the school,” Kim said. “I think Miami was approaching it’s 200-year anniversary at the time, and he said, ‘It's going to last much, much longer, and young people would appreciate it.’”

Kim’s $1 million gift established and endowed the Higgin Kim Asian Business Program, which enhances the Farmer School’s Pacific Rim summer study program and semester-long exchange programs with premier universities in Korea and Japan. It also facilitates productive relationships between Miami University faculty and their Asian counterparts, and funds scholarships for students taking part in the exchange programs.

“It's a memory you cannot just simply buy. I don't come here as often as I wish, but I really like the air and atmosphere of Miami,” he said. “Since then, the business school has grown much stronger and is more recognized.”

Last week, for the first time since the global pandemic, the Higgin Kim Asia Business Symposium returned to the Farmer School of Business. Business executives from South Korea spoke in classes, met with students and faculty, and held a panel discussion in Taylor Auditorium.

Among the executives was Un-Chan Chung, chairman of the Korea Institute for Shared Growth and former prime minister of South Korea. A 1972 Miami University master’s of Economics alum, he hoped his talks would help students realize the importance of understanding the world beyond the United States.

“In the past, the U.S. didn't have to worry too much about what's happening in other countries. But these days, you have to have some relationship with other nations, especially if you are a big leader in the world,” Chung said. “Otherwise, without knowing others, how can you lead the world?”

He told students about Korea’s rapid growth over the last 50 years. “Korea has become one of the seven countries in the world which has a population exceeding 50 million people and per capita GDP surpassing 30,000 US dollars,” Chung said. “I think it's a great performance for the Korean economy. But now Korea has been suffering from both a low growth rate and adverse income distribution. We have to try very hard to solve this polarization problem.”

Changwoo Soh, who earned an MBA at Miami in 1984, has been CEO of Papa John’s Pizza of Korea since 2002. “We can see so much influence from Asia in America now,” he told students. “When I was in a student at Miami, we didn't have any Korean restaurants or even Korean ingredients; we had to go to Chicago to find those.”

Andrew Yoon, a business consultant and 1992 Miami University master’s of Finance graduate, returned to Oxford for the first time since graduation to take part in the symposium and “because coming back has been at the top of my bucket list.”

“I feel like I've been walking in a dream, because I cannot believe that I'm back here. It's been more than 35 years, so there’s not many things here I can remember, but I’m very pleased and happy to see these buildings and young students,” he said.

Yoon emphasized what Chung had noted about America’s relationship with the world. “If we provide students with the Asian business perspective with its different culture, they will have a chance to broaden their understanding,” he said. “They shouldn't be just staying in USA, they shouldn't be restricting themselves to just working in the United States, because there are a lot more chances out there, especially in Asian countries.”

“There are lots of projects going on in many companies, especially multinational companies, and by joining in a project, especially cross functional and cross border projects, you can extend your knowledge and experience,” Yoon said. “So those kind of experiences are going to be very helpful, and then you can be easily recognized by your management team in the future because there’s a value in your diverse experience.”

Now more than two decades after helping to start the program, Kim said he’s proud of what his gift has brought to Miami and its students.

“I'm a collector. I collect paintings and collect rare instruments, musical instruments. And after 20 years, I looked back and realized that this is the best investment I ever even dreamt about,” he said. “Many students send me a letter after they come to Korea and that really re-roots me. So I'm very proud and very happy to see the young students still working hard.”