Eric Kwon: Through The Lens

When you meet Eric Kwon for the first time, you might think that he is a shy guy. You might think that he is that student in class who barely talks and blushes when called on by the teacher, with his lanky posture and his calm disposition. But you’d be as far from the truth as it gets.“He has a number of glasses with colored frames and I always wondered which pair he would wear and whether or not it would match his outfit of the day,” science instructor Dr. Jeffrey Ward said. “He is very thoughtful and was always engaged during class time.”Kwon’s colorful attire and glasses are not the only things that attract attention. His vibrant person- ality also brings many students to his room, where you can always find plenty of students of all years studying or just making pleasant conversation.“My room has sort of become a secondary com- mon room, and a lot of the kids in the dorm stop by,” Kwon said. “At the beginning of the year, a lot of the preps came, and I got to know them and it was nice for them to know that there was somebody there for them.”Senior David Gindra, who spends many nights hanging out with Kwon in the dorm agreed. “I guess a specific recurring example of our relationship is that we always order food and watch Bones on Netflix,” he says. “I thought he was really shy at first, and I thought it was kind of annoying. The only interac- tion we had at first was when he would ask me when Glee Club was. Eventually, we started talking and I realized we had a lot in common, and I’m always in his room.”In the dorm, Kwon is looked up to as a friendly and caring proctor who would go out of his way to help dormmates in need. “He’s very diligent. He won’t give up, and I really appreciate that,” prep Seiji Sakiyama said. “Once he decides to do something, he doesn’t change his course of action. He has a sense of duty. I found out that he really emerges as an ex- troverted and friendly guy. I was lucky to find that out about him during my few months here.”Kwon is admired by his peers for his uncanny ability to give help with homework, yet still maintain a humourous environment around him. “He is hard- working, funny, fun to be around and he helps me with math,” Gindra said.Math instructor Jeff Ibbotson also commended Kwon’s ability to incorporate humor during classes, while still focusing and using his mathematical in- tuition. “Eric is a very clever guy—smart and with an intelligent sense of humor. He's always focussed in class and helps lead other students through many thorny mathematical thickets,” Ibbotson recalled.Among other interests, Kwon has always had a passion for chemistry. He explained why he is so attracted by the sciences: “First, because I’m good at it. Furthermore, I think chemistry is the most fundamental science because everything is made of materials and molecules, which is what you’re study- ing. Physics is the interaction between molecules. Biology is just carbon-based molecules. Chemistry is fundamental and that’s what I really like about it.”In his free time, Kwon enjoys spending his time singing at Glee Club with his peers. “He also does music for fun, which is another thing we have in common. That was another way we bonded, since we went to Glee Club together,” Gindra said.Outside of the classroom, Kwon is commonly seen with a camera around his neck, ready to take a snapshot of just about anything. Over the summer, Kwon participated in a Korean photography com- petition that was hosted by Costco. His submission earned him first place in the competition, along with a prize of two thousand dollars.He has helped several students at Exeter get their hands on the camera as well. Upper Jonathan Ye, a photographer for the Exonian, found his interest in photography while working with Kwon. In addition, Kwon helped Ye acquire many tricks and skills on the camera. “Eric's been a really great mentor. He's taught me a lot ever since I started taking photos for the Exonian. He's part of the reason I kept on taking photos because of how welcoming he was,” Ye said.Jonathan Ye/The Exonian Senior Eric Kwon enjoys spending time looking atExeter through different lenses.Though students recognize Kwon for his pho- tography prowess and passion, he doesn’t want to pursue this hobby as a career. “I don’t want to do photography professionally,” Kwon said. “I mean, I like photographing a lot of things. When I went to Nepal, all I basically did was take photos. But I don’t want to major it in college.”In the future, Kwon plans to pursue a career of chemistry, no matter what occupation it may lead to, with the dream of leaving a significant mark on the world. Kwon said, “I feel that if I study chemistry, I can make the biggest impact on the world.”