Having both attended large state public universities, we weren’t very aware of what a small private liberal arts college could offer our son, Nate Kong ’25. How would he transition to college life? This point was especially true since he was coming out of the COVID-19 high school curriculum, where his last two years were mostly spent in remote schooling.
Nate wasn’t sure what he wanted to study and didn’t have a clear first choice, so we were anxious about where he would attend college. We were grateful to Gettysburg College to get an in-person tour before acceptances were due, and this was when his journey at Gettysburg began.
Our fantastic tour guide showed him that there were so many opportunities to pursue your interests and find new ones at Gettysburg. We all felt a strong connection to the College during the tour—so much so that Nate decided Gettysburg was the right place for him during the tour.
Nate loves the guitar and has been playing since elementary school. He experienced how welcoming and engaging Gettysburg would be before he walked on campus. As the summer started before his first year at Gettysburg, he was able to connect with Music Prof. Paul Austerlitz through the Sunderman Conservatory of Music. This connection led to an early audition and acceptance into the Jazz Dispatch improvisational band. Being part of this group led to new friends and a desire to be a music minor, before he even knew what he wanted his major to be. The professors of the Sunderman Conservatory expanded his love of music and performance.
During his first year, he found out that a couple of students were requesting funds to create a new club called Listeners & Performers, which is another example of how Gettysburg College engages with its student body and encourages pursuits of their interests. Here, students manage the clubs and organizations and can decide where the funding goes, and that year, they decided to invest in Listeners & Performers. Since this group was right in line with Nate’s interests, he joined the club’s leadership team. For four years, Listeners & Performers has given students the opportunity to put on and enjoy all types of performances around Gettysburg.
As parents, we want our children’s college journey to be represented by all positive experiences. That isn’t always the case, and challenges are often good for personal growth. Gettysburg College supported any bumps in the road Nate encountered during his time here. We feel these ups and downs allowed him the opportunity to mature and take ownership of what was important to him. It was good to know that Gettysburg had resources in place to support his growth.
This transition to adulthood would not be complete for Nate without his semester studying abroad. Working with the Center for Global Education, he selected a program that gave him the opportunity to study in Seville, Spain. This semester was so much more than his classroom experience abroad. It was a time of personal growth living abroad and experiencing not only the cultures of Spain but also the many different countries he traveled to while overseas. When he returned home, we felt he had more perspective, maturity, and resilience.
In his four years at Gettysburg, Nate learned to Do Great Work. As parents, we couldn’t be prouder of the young adult he has become. We are thankful for the supportive and welcoming environment, and we are excited to see where the knowledge, skills, and experiences he obtained from Gettysburg College will take him.
Becky and Chol Kong P’25 are the parents of Nathan (Nate) Kong ’25 of Vienna, Virginia. Nate is a psychology major with minors in business and music.
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By Becky and Chol Kong P’25
Photos by Thia Anyaoku ’23 and provided by Becky and Chol Kong P’25
Posted: 04/03/25
