Ajou's first ‘After You Program' concludes with a mentoring event

2015-09-18

An event to mark the conclusion of the first ‘After You Program - 2015 Summer Ajou Global Campus,' which was conducted this summer, was held on the afternoon of September 18th in the lobby of Ajou University's Yulgok Hall.

The event was attended by After You Program participants, guiding staff members, professors including those with administrative positions, other staff members from the University, and members of ‘Cheong Ya,’ who have served as mentors to the participants. Cheong Ya is a society of people who pioneered their future on their own by attending night high schools or colleges because of financial difficulties.

Su Jin Moon (Department of Political Science and Diplomacy, entering class of 2014), a participant in the Program at the University of Michigan, served as the MC for the day's event, which kicked off with presentations on the Program by guiding staff members for the respective partner universities. The presenters were Assistant Manager Ji Seon Kim (Academic Office of the College of Humanities), who went to the University of Michigan, Assistant Manager Sung Sook Park (Academic Office of the College of Engineering), who accompanied those going to Johns Hopkins University, and Do Yeon Kim (Office of International Affairs), who assisted the participants assigned to Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

Student participants also gave presentations on their activities at the partner universities and the lessons they learned: Ban Seok Lee (Department of Business Administration, entering class of 2010), Jong Hwan Chang (Department of Business Administration, entering class of 2011), Ah Ryun Suh (Department of Mechanical Engineering, entering class of 2011), and Bo Seok Song (Department of Advanced Material Science and Engineering of Sungkyunkwan University, entering class of 2010) represented those who went to the University of Michigan. Dong Ho Kang (Department of Culture and Content, entering class of 2011) and Sol Kim (Department of Business Administration, entering class of 2011) presented for those who participated at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and Sang Myeong Lee (Department of Culture and Content, entering class of 2013), Min Jeong Kim (Department of Industrial Engineering, entering class of 2014), and Chang Ryeol Oh (Department of Culture and Content, entering class of 2012) spoke for the Johns Hopkins University participants.

The participants then read words of appreciation for Program donors and mentors, followed by conversations with mentors. After the main program, students and mentors had a beer party on the lawn in front of Seongho Hall.

President Dong Yeon Kim, who was in attendance at the event, said, "One of the concerns I have had while working as a public official and scholar majoring in policy-making theory is that the goals of a policy are not easy to achieve," adding, "Listening to your presentations today, I felt that the objectives and missions of the After You Program were successfully realized."

President Kim went on to say, "I hope that the values of challenge-taking and consideration for others will spread beyond Ajou's boundaries through the Program," adding, "I expect that you will become brave and energetic Ajou people."

The “After You Program – 2015 Summer Ajou Global Campus” was established to provide opportunities to students who find it hard to build overseas experience due to various difficulties. Program participants have been to the University of Michigan and Johns Hopkins University in the U.S. and Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China for 4-week intensive training during this summer vacation. All the expenses for the participants at the University of Michigan and Shanghai Jiao Tong University programs, and 60 percent of the expenses for those who went to Johns Hopkins University were covered by scholarships. The programs are funded by donations from people outside Ajou University who agree with the need for such an initiative.