Daniel Park

Daniel is an aspiring engineer, a tutor and mentor, and a star soccer player. He is the team captain of the UCSD Korean Athletic Network Team and was recognized as the top goal scorer and most valuable player.

He is passionate about mentoring high school students, not just in their coursework but in helping them develop better study habits, optimizing their college applications and coping with academic pressure. and was employed in that capacity with Superprof. He’s been told by some students that he was the only person in their lives to offer this kind of support. He is also a self-employed soccer coach and academic tutor in AP Calculus and AP Physics. As a coach he works with young people between the ages of eight and 16 to improve their conditioning, technical skills and strategies.

He is also active in the UCSD Kristos Campus Mission Church and does outreach to welcome and support new students. He works with other members on events and projects that promote fellowship on campus.

Daniel is enrolled in Earl Warren College. Relative to his major, he is a team leader in the UCSD Rocket Propulsion Laboratory where he is literally doing rocket science building and designing a solid rocket. Daniel is also an undergraduate researcher in the Boechler Lab, focusing on “optimizing material resilience in mechanical and aerospace applications.”

Personally, Daniel is working to become someone “his younger self would have looked up to.” He doesn’t believe that his talents are flashy, but involve “showing up consistently, adapting when things fall apart, and lifting people up beside me.” He was raised by a loving aunt, but he had to figure out things like applying for college and financial aid on his own. However, these circumstances taught him “responsibility, discipline and empathy,” and are why he is so dedicated to helping other young people find their way.