Hi everyone! My name is Kyle Baek, and I’m from San Diego, California. I’m a rising senior in Quincy House pursuing a joint concentration in Government and East Asian Area Studies, alongside a language citation in Korean. I’m incredibly excited to serve as a PCC this upcoming academic year.
Having benefited from the guidance of upperclassmen while choosing between concentrations and navigating academic opportunities, I’m excited about the chance to pay it forward. I’m particularly drawn to the PCC role because I know how meaningful it is to speak with someone who understands the concentration from the student perspective — especially when balancing interdisciplinary interests or making tough course decisions.
Within Government, I’ve gravitated toward Comparative Politics in East Asia, with particular interest in democratic consolidation, state-society relations, and regional political dynamics. These academic interests connect with my broader focus on national security and the institutional factors that shape present-day geopolitical challenges.
Outside the classroom, I’ve been involved with The Harvard Crimson, The Harvard Undergraduate Law Review, and the Intelligence Study Group at Harvard Kennedy School. I also currently serve as the Executive Director of the Harvard Taiwan Leadership Conference, leading an annual leadership development conference for high school students in Taipei. I’m fluent in Korean and currently self-studying Mandarin Chinese. On the research side, I took advantage of Gov 92r and had the privilege of working as a research assistant for Professor Taeku Lee!
If you have any questions about choosing a concentration, classes, research opportunities, or just want to grab coffee and chat, please feel free to reach out. I’m always happy to help!