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Scholar Stories

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The Glow Offensive: How K-Beauty Became Korea's Softest Export

Published 05/20/2026 in Scholar Travel Stipend
Written by Lina Lin | 05/20/2026

The amber glow of Olive Young storefronts followed me everywhere through Myeongdong, day and night, relentless and warm. Korea's dominant health and beauty chain operates over 1,380 stores across the country (CJ Olive Young, 2025), and walking through Seoul's main shopping district, I believed every single one of them. The lighting was engineered to make your skin look like it needed fixing, and everyone around me seemed to already have the answer.

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Penn Sandra Cheah MS 23 Clarke Dickens MS 22 Samuel Sosa Sanchez MS 24 Steven Li MS 23 and Jahin Rahman MS 21 with Plaque at Penn

Milken Scholars Mentorship in College and Beyond

Published 03/31/2026 in Program Updates
Written by Reyes, Natalie | 03/31/2026

At the heart of the Milken Scholars Program is a commitment to building a supportive community that evolves with Scholars at every stage of life. For many, that journey begins in their first year of college, when freshmen are paired with mentors who help guide their transition. More often than not, these relationships grow far beyond their initial purpose to become lasting friendships that shape the college experience and beyond.

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mainmayowa

Morocco's Cultural Identity in Relation to the African Continent

Published 03/30/2026 in Scholar Travel Stipend
Written by Mayowa Jolayemi | 03/30/2026

Morocco has always fascinated me. We often hear the classification “sub-Saharan Africa,” which has been political science’s nomenclature for “everything that is not North Africa.” As a Nigerian, growing up, I did not quite understand it - what was the reason we grouped North Africa as separate, when West, East, Central, and Southern Africa were lumped into one big category?

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Tourism and Labor in St. Thomas

Published 03/30/2026 in Scholar Travel Stipend
Written by Mekdelawit Gebreslassie | 03/30/2026

St. Thomas is defined by the movement of people and capital through its turquoise harbors and narrow hillside roads. It may be seen in the hordes of cruise passengers arriving in Charlotte Amalie, as well as hotel personnel commuting from inland areas to beachside resorts. Tourism influences virtually every aspect of the island's economy.

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lina1

The Living Layers of Barcelona

Published 03/30/2026 in Scholar Travel Stipend
Written by Lina Lin | 03/30/2026

Fun Fact: Barcelona is frequently cited as the most touristed city in Europe. This reputation is well-earned, as the city boasts a wide selection of food, culture, and arts. Spending eight days here provided a valuable window to look past its Mediterranean charm and examine the city as a living laboratory of urban evolution. I went to glean how a city’s physical layout can divulge insights into its history, functionality, and cultural revolutions. In Barcelona, architecture does not simply house people; it molds perceptions and dictates the flow of life.

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jeet1

Walking Softly Through Sacred Spaces: My Search for the Meaning of Khalistan

Published 03/30/2026 in Scholar Travel Stipend
Written by Simaranjeet Rai | 03/30/2026

I first became interested in Khalistan through real-life encounters with Sikh communities in California. At the annual Nagar Kirtan in Yuba City and later at a major Sikh event at the Los Angeles Convention Center in DTLA, I noticed clusters of people holding bright yellow flags emblazoned with the Khanda and sometimes the word Khalistan. Their energy was passionate, and I sensed the flags represented something deeply meaningful, more than just political slogans. I wanted to understand more about Sikh history, identity, and the origins of these symbols. I wanted to understand my history.

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karen1

Guangzhou, Taipei, and Seoul: Recognizing the Politics and Remembering the People

Published 03/23/2026 in Scholar Travel Stipend
Written by Karen Li | 03/23/2026

China, Taiwan, Korea. I had been to each of these three places in the past and recently had the opportunity to revisit all of them within the span of two weeks. While eating my way through Guangzhou’s 荔湾区 (LiWan District), hiking in Taiwan’s 阿里山 (Alishan), and shopping in Seoul’s Myeondong-gil, I thought about how all three of these regions are constantly mentioned in our mainstream news because of the roles they play in global politics and economics. But while there, I saw how important it is to also remember the people on the ground.

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The New Gravity of Global Capital

Published 03/23/2026 in Scholar Travel Stipend
Written by Steven Li | 03/23/2026

Historically, the flow of global capital and ambition was unidirectional in the 20th century. The United States was not just a country; the American Dream heralded a meritocracy for anyone seeking to build the future. However, that gravity has quickly shifted eastward.

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