[The Editors' Verdict] Greater Applause for the MIP Than the MVP

In 2010, I was at an elementary school graduation ceremony in the United States. It was not much different from Korea. The principal’s speech came first, followed by the highlight: the awards ceremony. The student who excelled the most in art, the student who was best at physical education... Finally, when the principal was about to give the MVP award to the most outstanding student in every aspect, I started to prepare to leave. But then the principal took the microphone again and began introducing the next award recipient.

"At first, they couldn’t read or write. They didn’t know any English at all. But now, they talk well with friends and even do writing assignments." The friends whispered to one student, “It’s you, it’s you.” When the principal called the name, cheers and applause erupted. The sound was louder than for the MVP. It was a scene I hadn’t seen in Korea. That’s when I learned that most American schools select and award not only the MVP but also the MIP (Most Improved Person).

Usually, Koreans don’t pay much attention to anyone other than the MVP. I am a typical Korean. To be honest, that was the first time I even knew there was such a thing as MIP. In fact, because the student who received the award was my son, I looked into MIP more closely. An elementary school student who came to the U.S. without any English tutoring or academy experience was initially treated almost like a disabled person. The process of overcoming that was quite tough.

Even in the professional sports world in the U.S., where the winner-takes-all phenomenon is strongest, there is an MIP. The NBA has been awarding the MIP to the player who has improved the most in skill since 1985. For students, the MIP is an honor as great as the MVP and a credential that can bring significant benefits. Writing that you received the MIP award on your resume often earns you a big bonus from evaluators at most higher education institutions. It’s not inferior to the MVP.

When selecting students, the first thing looked at is how smart they are. But the experience of working hard and climbing up from the bottom is treated equally. This is true not only in the U.S. but in most major countries. The “no-eol” (no effort) attitude, which is being devalued in Korea these days, still holds great value overseas. Asia Economy surveyed the CEOs of the top 100 domestic companies by market capitalization. Among them, nine were graduates of vocational high schools (formerly industrial high schools). Simply put, nine CEOs of large corporations graduated from commercial, technical, or agricultural high schools. There was also one person who entered the workforce after graduating from a humanities high school instead of going to college. CEOs of the top 100 domestic companies are the MVPs of the economic world. At the same time, they are the MIPs of the economic world.

The problem is that there is a culture of feeling ashamed to admit that you are an MIP. One CEO who started working after graduating from high school was reluctant to disclose their academic background. This suggests that people who have worked hard from the bottom and climbed up are not always viewed favorably. In the past, Representative Yang Hyang-ja experienced this. When the article about the birth of a Samsung Electronics executive, a world-class company graduate from a commercial high school, was first published, Representative Yang refused to be interviewed. She must have had painful experiences because of her academic background. Now, she is actively serving as a member of the National Assembly, supported and praised as a person who wrote an inspiring success story. Let’s applaud the model students who grew up in good environments and have always been number one. But those who overcome difficult environments and work hard from the bottom to rise deserve even greater cheers and applause. That is how Korea moves forward one step at a time.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.