Elected as 17th president in Sookmyung under the time-honored 100 years-old tradition, today, I swore that I would do my best to cultivate women of talent and develop Sookmyung with all my effort. Sookmyung Women’s University was established in May 1906, based on Myungshin Women’s school which accepted blue-blooded women for the first time. Not depending on foreign capital, Sookmyung conquered all the difficulties when Japan invaded Korea and kept the national identity that the people wanted.
I deeply appreciate many professors and previous presidents. Especially I appreciate the previous president Kyungsook Lee who helped Sookmyung for the past 14 years to spread its wings as the best leadership university in the world.
By taking over the keys of Sookmyung, I was reminded of an old saying that ‘The beginning is the most important part of the work’ by Plato. Now, I’m afraid of the new world I will face, but at the same time, I’m overwhelmed by it.
By opening a new 100 years, as 17th president, I will focus on the following things while in office to approach my vision to raise creative talented people who possess thinking power. Most of all, I will concentrate on strengthening cultural studies with humanities related to leadership education, the specialized field in Sookmyung.
The 21st century requires a new paradigm of human nature, and the world is seeking a new civilization by cooperating for coexistence. Many scholars insist that finding new humanism depends on the effort of all humans. Extending humanistic education means raising talented students who possess humanism. By cultivating the talented and specialists with synthetic thinking and understanding of overall society, I will help them pursue public good and establish a sound civil society.
Standing on these, I promise that the school will make each Sookmyungian a ‘luxury brain’; both students and professors constantly exchange their opinions personally and academically. Also students can solve their tasks through their own ability of research and discussion. So I will bring a PBL (Problem-Based Learning) program in all lectures. Moreover, students will settle their assignments through discussion. For building these abilities, the school will teach students the most important communication skills, speaking and writing ability. Through this education, new Sookmyungians will be talented people with logical thinking power, fine analysis power, and general vision.
A professor is an education provider, as the main person who improves the quality of the university, and the future dream of the school. Blue-chip professors and foreign professors are these people. I will engage these people, and make a perfect study environment for school; mediation of education and study tracks will help to develop this. Programs at the Sookmyung Center for Teaching and Learning Service and Mentor Programs will also help to improve professors’ lecture ability. Besides, I will lavish support on new professors, and do my best to support the study of Humanities, and the expansion of research bounty, and national research centers like BK (Brain Korea) Business, SRC (Science Research Center), and so on.
The Internationalization of universities is a big deal for becoming an advanced country. I will pursue custom-made internationalization through students, professors, and each college. It is not the unilateral internationalization controlled by the head office of school. Likewise, it is time that internationalization of universities has to go beyond the walls of universities. Schools have to expand the interchange with overseas public offices and corporations. I will diversify the international internship programs connecting with overseas volunteer programs and many internship programs. Through these programs, students can enlarge their appreciation and experience, and will be global leaders who have that nature and ability.
I will also promote financial stabilization. With the present drive for collection of funds, I will increase plus my whole effort, and each Sookmyungian’s effort for Sookmyung’s vision. To complete that, I will utilize our own think tanks rather than the unilateral contributions from people or corporations. I will expand our intellectual property rights and the cost of transferring technology, and enhance educational institutions with the school; TESOL, Korean Food Institution, Le Cordon Bleu-Sookmyung Academy, and Sookmyung Global Leadership Institution. Also I will develop diverse contents and products in Sookmyung, and commercialize these.
For a century Sookmyung has done everything possible for accomplishing these visions, and each Sookmyung person must continue to participate in it, and feel responsible for it. The vision is a lighthouse which guides ships to a safe way on the raging waves. However strongly the raging waves rush in upon us, if the lighthouse throws a bright light on our way, we will certainly reach the destination.
My fellow Sookmyungians.
Now, I vow to succeed the spirit of the Sookmyung Centennial Foundation, to give my body and soul to nurturing competent students who intend to pursue internationalization and unification, and the development of Sookmyung Women’s University. I hope that everyone who loves Sookmyung will participate in our vision, and encourage me.
Thank you.
