Alumni Profile: Jae Ah Lee, SDG Challenge Program for High School Students’24

Jae Ah Lee, a high school senior in Shanghai, China, said his family has played a substantial role in his budding policy interests—and the University of Chicago.

“When I was in middle school, my older brother was admitted to the University of Chicago. I wasn’t the best student at the time, and his acceptance and subsequent stories of life as a college student motivated me to find my passion. Now,” Lee continued, “as I am exploring colleges, UChicago is top of mind—and where I plan on applying.”

Lee’s preexisting interest in the University of Chicago, he added, made applying to the Sustainable Development Goals Challenge Program for High School Students an easy decision. “Since I’m interested in policy, Harris’ approach—very quantitative and based on statistics—aligned with my experiences and knowledge in data processing and statistics.”

The SDG Challenge Program is an opportunity for high school students to delve into the fundamentals of policy research and apply their skills to address real-world inquiries related to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Participants also create deliverables to showcase their critical thinking and presentation skills.

Lee’s interest in policy, he said, was largely shaped by witnessing his grandmother suffer from dementia and Alzheimer's. “I sensed there wasn't adequate support from the Korean government for social minorities and patients at the hospital, and while exploring social sciences in high school I came to believe a holistic policy was necessary to address that lack of support.” This observation, Lee said, cemented for him the importance of public policy.

Lee also said being a Korean student in China showed him the value of community, which he considers an important component of effective policy. “I was born in Seoul, Korea and moved to Shanghai when I was about 3 or 4: I have been studying at an international school here since. And although there have been some challenges, I was able to integrate because the community was very welcoming. For example, I learned my neighbors had a food sharing tradition and would help each other out when necessary. That personal experience really made me feel part of the community.”

Bolstered by these experiences, Lee was looking forward to understanding applications of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals during his time in the program. “However,” he said, “I quickly realized the SDG Challenge Program was much more than an opportunity to study public policy. For example, the workshops allowed me to really explore my interests and get a sense of what it’s like to be a UChicago student—and what it’s like to study at Harris. I appreciated the alumni and faculty members who provided insight into the culture and expectations of the school.”

The curriculum, Lee noted, was very comprehensive. “I definitely gained some solid public policy analysis skills. However, I’d say the most valuable part of the program was the connections I made. In fact, one person turned out to also live in Shanghai, and we talked about how we can do some projects together in the future.”

As the program progressed, Lee said he recognized its broader value. “The SDG Challenge Program is not only for students interested in public policy—because the UN’s SDGs impact everyone—but for anyone who wants to better understand the basic core knowledge to interpret current events and issues and learn about how to tackle real life challenges.”