Contributed by Kaitlyn Youn, both undergraduate students from Case Western Reserve University. 

Engage! Cleveland has once again partnered with Case Western Reserve University to bring their student interns to our organization through the Humanities @ Work program. This matches students with Cleveland organizations working in various industries across the city.

We were lucky to have been matched with Kaitlyn Youn for this spring 2026 semester.

Kaitlyn is working with our Marketing & Communications Manager, Belle Mercurio, to gather interviews for our Celebrating Clevelanders series, as well as work on media relations and communications in tandem with Belle.

We asked Kaitlyn to share a little bit more about herself as well her favorite things about living and going to school in Cleveland. Get to know Kaitlyn below!

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Hello! 

My name is Kaitlyn Youn, and I am a third year student at Case Western Reserve University majoring in English and Political Science with minors in Asian Studies, Business Management, and Marketing! With my extensive list of majors and minors I plan on going into a career in communications or media relations and then eventually entering law school to hopefully become a civil trial attorney. Being a native New Yorker, I didn’t know much about Cleveland and everything it has to offer, from its delectable food to its vibrant sports scene! Luckily I got my first taste of Cleveland from the University Circle area and explored all cultural institutions within it. As soon as I stepped foot onto campus and moved into my dorm in freshman year, I immediately walked around University Circle. To my surprise, I stumbled upon the Cleveland Museum of Art, which is still my favorite spot to hang out, study, and enjoy art. When I walked into the atrium and witnessed the gorgeous installations, I was utterly stunned and that completely transformed my perspective of Cleveland. After this experience it pushed me to want to explore outside of the University Circle area and, once again, I discovered another gem: The Arcade! Walking through the large glass doors and being transported into an architectural masterpiece was an incredible experience. I felt chills run through my spine as I looked up and saw the sun shining through the glass-skylight and illuminating its beautiful Victorian-era structure. Another aspect of Cleveland that blew me out of the water was the food scene! Little did I know that I would be spending every weekend trying a new restaurant and seeing all of the food the city has to offer. My favorite restaurant definitely has to be Korea House, which I ADORE! Being Korean-American, I’m always missing my grandma’s home-cooked meals. Once I learned about Asiatown, I tried all of the restaurants in it and I was so happy to learn about the delicious food in Korea House! From the hameul pajeon to the budae jjigae, everything on their menu reminds me of my grandma’s warm, home-cooked food!

All of the reasons I’ve listed above alludes to why I love Cleveland so much, which is why I’m extremely excited to intern for Engage! Cleveland and contribute to events that help strengthen Cleveland’s civic and professional community. Engage! Cleveland’s mission aligns closely with my interest in community-focused programming and I look forward to learning more about promoting and planning wide scale events. I’m especially excited to support the organization’s large-scale events like Young Professionals Week and learn how thoughtful outreach and partnerships translate into meaningful experiences for attendees! Thinking more generally, this spring I’m really looking forward to being more present on campus and in the city as the weather warms up. This will sadly might be my last spring here in Cleveland, as I’m graduating a semester early, but I’m excited to spend time with my friends, attend campus events, and explore new spaces in the city. Although I don’t know exactly where my post-graduate journey will take me, I’m thrilled to begin my internship and learn as much as I can about community engagement while contributing to a city that has shaped so much of my academic and personal growth!