Jinwoo Cho ’26

I’m very interested in climate and energy, and have spent the last decade working for a public nuclear power company in Korea. Because I completed my MBA at Seoul National University, which is part of the Global Network for Advanced Management, I was already familiar with Yale SOM. During my research, I learned that Yale was a pioneer in bringing climate topics into academic conversation. That focus, combined with SOM’s mission of contributing to business and society, aligned well with my long-term goal: becoming an energy expert with strong business acumen.

At SOM, I customized my curriculum to support this goal. In Pricing and Managing Sustainable Assets, I practiced incorporating environmental, social, and governance factors into financial decision-making. We learned up-to-date techniques that firms currently use. Because many courses are cross-listed with the Yale School of the Environment (YSE), I’ve been able to engage with YSE students as well. Their different perspectives on nuclear energy—a complex and sometimes controversial field—have enriched my own thinking.

Even though I came here excited about energy-related courses, I ended up enjoying Consumer Behavior with Professor Joowon Klusowski the most. Her class reinforced the idea that business is ultimately about people. If we want to persuade or influence others, we first need to understand how they think and make decisions. This is something I’m bringing back to my work in Seoul, where I export nuclear energy projects abroad.

In addition to customizing your curriculum, you can also customize your extracurricular experience. There are so many opportunities to network and learn outside the classroom. For me, a highlight was the Yale Clean Energy Conference, which focused on renewable energy.

During my time here, I’ve learned from professors, guest speakers, and my peers. Instead of piecing together discrete learning experiences across coursework and events, I ended up enjoying a truly integrated experience.

SOM students are talented and come from many different backgrounds. At first, I felt a bit intimidated, especially coming from a technical background in nuclear engineering. However, I quickly realized how open and supportive the community is. Everyone wants to share their ideas and learn from others. Conversations with my peers have been some of my most enjoyable moments here.