GRAHAM WILLIAMS GROUP
Sumi Kang

A student majoring in English language and literature as well as mass communication at Kyungpook National University in Daego, South Korea and Emilio Aguinaldo College in the Philippines, Sumi Kang was a junior who had worked as chief reporter for the KNU Broadcasting Station when she applied to the Washington Internship Program in early December of 2005. Sumi studied English at the KNU Language Institute, and she participated in SK Telecom’s program called Hi, Teacher. She also studied Chinese, tutored high-school students in both English and Korean, served as a music DJ at a bar, and was employed at Hyundal Department Store. Within a month, WIP placed Sumi at Graham Williams Group, a public-relations firm that produces conservative television and radio shows about current events. After getting the J1 visa, Sumi flew to the United States and started this internship in early March of 2006. After six months of improving her English skills and learning more about TV production, Sumi was accepted for a fall internship at C-SPAN Television. In fact, the supervisor who hired Sumi called WIP to thank the program for recommending such a wonderful candidate! Graham Williams Group offered Sumi a salary if she would continue working there instead, but Sumi decided that the new experience she would gain was worth more than monetary compensation. Everyone at WIP was extremely proud of Sumi Kang, who was with the Washington Internship Program for a year. Below are some of her observations:

“Living in Washingtonian with Passion and Ambition”

“After two years of broadcasting experience in Korea, I was ready for more responsibility within the media. I found the Washington Internship Program, had an interview, and was accepted. I eventually arrived in dreamland: the United States. On March 9, 2006 I started working at Graham Williams Group – a public relation firm where the CEO, Armstrong Williams, originally hosted a radio program called Drive Time Dialogue every Monday through Friday from 3:00 to 6:00 A.M. The name was later changed to The Morning Show, and the hours were switched to 5:00 through 9:00. The Graham Williams Group also produces the Armstrong Williams Show in South Carolina from Monday through Friday at 1:00 to 2:00 P.M. as well as some television programs.”

“I was a bit stunned at first because there were fewer employees than I thought would be working there, but one of my friends from KNU – Ju-Ran Yoon – had been placed at Graham Williams by the Washington Internship Program, so I was happy that another Korean student was with me at this company. There was a third WIP intern at Graham Williams Group: Laura Maria Giovara from Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan. She had experience in radio and television, having worked in Italy as a fashion and life-style correspondent. Laura is the blond woman in my forth photograph (below.) I conducted research for South California News and summarized information for Armstrong Williams. In the beginning, I had trouble understanding what my supervisor requested of me, but I tried to do my best. I was in charge of recording daily commentary by Mr. Williams and updating the web page. I was also required to write ‘talking points’ for guests on the shows, which mostly dealt with politics. I wasn’t really interested in either political or social issues due to my lack of knowledge within these fields, but I started to study them in order to educate myself. I’ll never forget the moment when my talking points were broadcast on the air for the first time.”

“Graham Williams Group has another affiliate TV station: the Right Side Production. My dream came true when the second television program was scheduled to be shot in D.C., and I had the opportunity to see how the control room operated and work with guests. An unforgettable moment occurred when my name was listed at the end of the show among the credits (see above).”

“One thing that impressed me about American teenagers is that they don’t feel shy and never hesitate when giving opinions in front of many people – even if members of the audience are older. In Korea, speaking up in the presence of one’s elders is considered impolite, but I believe this custom is actually a problem that Koreans should resolve.”

“Before coming to D.C., I promised myself to travel and see as much of America as possible. I went to New York, Virginia, and Florida. Manhattan was magnificent, and I was excited to be in the city I had seen in movies. In real life, one of the biggest cities on earth looks shabby because there are so many homeless people there. As is evident, ‘the rich get richer, and the poor get poorer.’ Florida is a beautiful state, and I went to Disney Land in Orlando. I also traveled to Virginia when visiting KNU alumni and during WIP’s annual retreat – this year in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Those were good times.”

“Last year in April I worked as an interpreter at the U.S.-ROK Trade Fair held by the Korea International Trade Association (KITA).

WIP Interns Laura Giovara from Italy (left) and
Sumi Kang with boss at Graham Williams Group

“One fact I noticed was that Americans don’t drink a lot, unlike Koreans – who, in my opinion, drink too much. There are not so many bars around downtown Washington. I like the way people in the United States enjoy their spare time with families at home. I also observed many people reading books and newspapers on trains and buses or even cafes. They never seem to waste their precious time.”

C-SPAN TELEVISION

“I had been with Graham Williams Group for six months when I decided to reach for more in order to learn as much as possible. I applied for C-SPAN Television, which is a broadcasting station devoted to news, government, politics, books on a wide range of subjects, and other serious programming. I tried to look confident to the people with whom I had my interview. Eventually, I was accepted at C-SPAN – and I could hardly believe it! Furthermore, Graham Williams Group offered to pay me if I would continue there instead! In the end I chose C-SPAN because new experiences are more precious than money. Indeed, my internship at C-SPAN Television turned out to be priceless.”

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