This semester, the Distance Learning Office welcomed Jonathan Kim as the university’s new Instructional Designer.

This school year has been like none before. It has been a confusing and challenging transition for both students and teachers. That is why we need people like Jonathan Kim to help professors transition to online teaching and to design the courses and create the graphics. He also makes sure that professors know how to use Zoom and Microsoft Teams so that their classes are taught smoothly and effectively.

He is brand new to Mercyhurst and started just two weeks ago.

Kim hails from San Diego, California. He attended the University of California at San Diego and double majored in psychology and visual arts. From there, he had a few different jobs for some big-name companies, including BuzzFeed. Kim created videos and advertisements for them and said that this was more of a “storytelling” job.

Kim also worked for Petco, a chain store providing pet food and supplies. At Petco, he worked more on commercials and promos for the company. Kim also worked for a smaller company called LaunchBoom.

Jonathan Kim made Erie his home about a year ago when his wife relocated to continue her medical degree at LECOM. He has gotten to love many things about Erie, but particularly Presque Isle. He describes it as “beautiful” and a great place to engage in his hobby of photography.

Outside of work, Kim is a big fan of video games. However, instead of Xbox or PlayStation, he prefers computer games. He is also a dedicated “house husband,” meaning that he cares for his wife, makes sure she is always fed, and makes sure the house is always clean.

He and his wife have a dog and a cat that they love to spend time with.

When asked what he liked about Mercyhurst, Kim said that he loved how the campus looks in general, such as the landscaping and the buildings. He started his career as a photographer, so our beautiful campus is the perfect place for him to take pictures and videos.

Regarding everything about campus, Kim said, “so far so good!” Kim’s impressive background makes him the perfect match for this job.

Welcome to your new home, Jonathan Kim! We are happy to have you.