NMH Magazine : Spring 2003

Hyung Steele '93

Hyung Steele recently passed a major milestone in his short, ambitious life: in May he graduated from Villanova law school. To his infinite pleasure, multiple job offers came his way during his third year of study. And, to his lasting satisfaction, he took a job as associate at Pepper Hamilton LLP, a large Philadelphia law firm where he'd worked as a legal assistant from 1997 to 2000. 

Life didn't always flow so easily. Two years out of college, working as an underling in the health effects department at Pepper Hamilton, Hyung felt stuck in a rut. He didn't want to work as a legal assistant forever but wasn't sure what else to do. To add to his angst, he'd recently split with his long-time girlfriend. He felt frustrated that he hadn't yet accomplished anything in his life and unsure of what his future held. 

Finally a light went on inside him, and he realized the answer was closer at hand than he'd guessed. He applied to and was accepted at several law schools, ultimately choosing Villanova because it gave him a generous scholarship and was virtually in his backyard. He became a member of the Moot Court Board, and in his third year won the Best Brief Award at the Securities Competition at Fordham Law School. 

Hyung's personal life is also solidifying nicely. For the past two years, he's been involved with a young Asian woman whom he met in law school. The relationship marks the first time either of them has dated another Asian. 

Although Hyung once dreamed of becoming a baseball player or a writer, he's satisfied with the career he's now embarking on–and still imagines becoming a novelist someday. Anything seems possible with his life now firmly on track, and with so many decades of accomplishment ahead. 

What's your family background? 

I'm one of five adopted children in a family of eight (including my parents). I grew up in Gill, Massachusetts, near the Mount Hermon campus. In many ways, my family mirrors the multinational, multiracial balance that NMH's student body possesses. I was born in Seoul, Korea, and brought to the States when I was 21 months old. My younger brother, James, is African American. The next youngest, Lynn, also African American, graduated from NMH in 1998. The two youngest, Yahaida and Dennis, are Hispanic Americans. My older sister, Kristin, was the only natural child my parents had. She graduated from NMH in 1990.

What were the high and low points of your time at NMH?

Receiving the Head's Award from Jacqueline Smethurst was a highlight, and so was making the varsity baseball team my junior year. In terms of lows, I remember feeling very conscious about my race, probably because there were so many other Asians at NMH, and I'd grown up in a predominantly Caucasian area.

If you had to describe yourself in five words, what would they be?

Athletic, ambitious, compassionate, creative, open-minded.

How did you become a legal assistant?

I'd worked on a summer project at the law firm the summer before I graduated from Kenyon. When I moved to Philadelphia, I was going to do a similar project for the firm while I looked for a real job. The project fell through and I was broke, so I applied for a job as a legal assistant. I'd never intended to be a legal assistant or to apply to law school. I always thought I'd end up working on Wall Street.

Has your life followed the path you expected?

I expected greater things from myself sooner. I always figured I'd be married with children by my late 20s, and I expected professional success at an earlier age. I've learned that life doesn't always allow you to have things exactly when you want them. You have to earn them, which takes work and time.

Why haven't you dated Asian women before?

I was never really open to it. I think it stemmed from not being receptive to my heritage; now I'm much more willing to learn about my culture. It took a little maturing and the right woman to change my mind–and traditional home-cooked Chinese meals have definitely helped!

What piece of advice would you give a graduating senior?

Always keep your eyes open and take advantage of the opportunities around you. And remember: life has a curious knack for rewarding good people.

What do you like about this stage of life?

I like that I can freely travel and visit places. That all changes when you get married and have kids. I also feel that as a young lawyer ready to move up the career ladder, I have my whole professional life ahead of me.

Where do you see yourself in ten years?

Married with a couple of kids. I've just been offered a baseball contract by the general manager of the Red Sox, and I'm weighing that against my partnership offer at a big Philadelphia law firm. Hopefully I'll also have finished my first novel.