Eun Hee Shin

Age: 36

Occupation: Professor

How did you end up in Iowa? I was born and brought up in Seoul and then went to Toronto, Canada. I am a Korean Canadian. I received my doctorate in religious studies from the University of Toronto, Canada in December 2000. I had not considered working in the States, but was offered a job in Ohio. It was a one-year teaching position in the department of philosophy and religion at Ohio Northern University. I got so excited about my first job and moved down to Ohio. After successfully finishing my first job, I was offered a tenure-track position from Simpson College in Iowa. I have been teaching at Simpson for three years now.

How many times have you been asked the above question? A number of times! I have been asked this question many times, by students, faculty and other community members.

Where do you get your Korean food and groceries? There are two small Korean groceries in Des Moines, the state capital of Iowa, which is located about 15 miles north from where I live. Usually, it takes about 20 to 30 minutes to get there by driving. I go there every other week to get some Korean food.

One of Simpson College’s faculty houses where Shin lived for two years.

Are there any other Korean faculty members or students at your school? I am the only Korean full-time faculty member, but there is one female Korean staff member who works on campus. There are about four or five adopted Korean students on campus.

How do people react to you? Being a minority in an institution such as Simpson can be very difficult. I have to deal with students who are offended by my foreign beliefs. Many of our students come from small towns, which are typically places without a minority influence. Different ideals simply aren’t easy to come across. Sometimes I feel frustrated that they do not have a sense of multiculturalism and global awareness at all. Iowa is quite different from Toronto. Although I have been working here for three years, I am still shocked by students’ narrow minds and perspectives. One of the most challenging things would be Christian fundamentalism. Since I am teaching Asian religion, I often feel backlash. Some students show distaste for religious pluralism and keep their distance from me. Some administrators also expect me to become more Americanized. I have a strong national identity as a Korean Canadian and tried to introduce "Canadian mosaic multiculturalism." I am very critical about the "American melting pot culture," which seems to be very oppressive for the minority. I strongly feel that while I am working here, it is my calling to educate people to become more inclusive, pluralistic and globally aware.

Shin (left) with David Richmond, an art professor at Simpson.

Describe your Koreatown. Unfortunately, we have no Koreatown here. The closest city with Korean stores is Des Moines, which is a predominantly white city.

What do you like about your city? Indianola and Des Moines are very quiet and safe cities. Compared to other major cities, housing is less expensive, and green fees for golf are pretty reasonable, I am a golfer.