Being an exchange student is one of the dreams for a college student. Perhaps, many Soongsilians want to participate in exchange student program. College students dream of becoming exchange students to expand their knowledge by leaving Korea and wanting to go abroad. However, exchange students must prepare many things. Thus, ST will introduce a department program to help exchange students easily prepare and fulfill their academic goals. ......Ed

     SSU has an overseas program in each department. Many Soongsilians participated in this program during the summer vacation. Each department has different program selection processes and activities. ST interviewed three Soongsilians (Hong Seongwon Finance, Park Sieun Global Commerce, and Cho Jinwoo Global Law) who participated in three different programs in each department to introduce the programs.

ST: Please introduce the program you participated in.

Hong: I stayed in Vancouver, Canada for four weeks during this summer vacation. The official name of the program is ‘Summer vacation short-term language training in Vancouver, Canada.’

ST: What abilities do you think the program can help you develop about the School of Finance?

Hong: I think this program will help me develop English-based communication skills and insights. It is a great opportunity to meet various people there, use English, and overcome my fear of English. I think the ability to speak your thoughts in English is necessary even if you are not a student of the School of Finance.

ST: How many students participated in this program, and how did the selection process go?

Hong: About 50 students from the School of Finance participated in this activity. Among the major subjects, students who took the ‘Business and Financial English Communication’ course and received approval from a professor, or students who met the criteria for the official English grades were allowed to select.

ST: What was meaningful during this program?

Hong: Participating in this program, I was able to meet various local people and have a new perspective on life. I found out that I had been too sensitive to trends and overly concerned about external factors, and realized that I am the most important person in my life. Also, I could have confidence in speaking English by talking to local people at school or on a trip.

 

ST: What program did you participate in?

 

Cho: I participated in Mongolia International Environmental Leadership Training with Blue Asia, an NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) environmental organization, from June 21 to June 28.

ST: How can you participate in the program?

Cho: Thirty-two students from the Department of International Law participated. They could participate in the program without taking separate tests. And second graders went to Guam and Europe after taking the international law test.

ST: What major abilities have you gained from this program?

Cho: This program raised students’ awareness of international environmental problems. Through this activity, I gained more knowledge about the environment, which affected my career path. I learned a lot of things about Mongolia that I didn’t know before. I learned the fact that desertification has progressed more than I thought and that the main source of yellow dust is Mongolia, not China. This program was a beneficial activity that increased interest in international ties through close relations between Mongolia and Korea, such as the Korean Hallyu and numerous Korean convenience stores.

ST: How did you prepare for the Mongolia International Environmental Leadership Training?

Cho: We formed the Mongolian Preparatory Committee. Eight students worked hard in various aspects including leading other students. Before I went to Mongolia, I took a lecture conducted by Blue Asia on environmental issues in Mongolia and basic environmental knowledge.

 

ST: What program did you participate in?

Park: The program is the GTLP (Global Trade Leadership Program) that visited Fukuoka, Japan from July 3 to July 6.

ST: How did you prepare for GTLP?

Park: There were many meetings to sell goods locally. After conducting a local market survey, I selected the best product to sell and proved its competitiveness compared to its competitors. And I contacted the company directly to inquire about the B2B (Business to Business) price. After determining the price and quantity of the product, I established marketing strategies like various promotional materials.

ST: What is the schedule for GTLP?

Park: I arrived at Japan Economic University. I listened to an economics lecture by a local professor and then got to sell goods to Japanese students. And we set up promotional materials and merchandise. I learned Japanese so that I could use it for selling. For four hours, each team sold their goods and concluded the program in the university auditorium.

ST: Please tell us how you feel about participating in the program.

Park: It was hard when the activities continued after the end of the semester and when there was a disagreement among the team members. But I gained a general understanding of trade through mentoring with professors, and basic lectures. I felt proud when I made a profit, especially because I went out and worked in Japan. And I would like to tell my teammates, “Thank you for your hard work.”

 

     Like this, there are many overseas programs at SSU. If you’re a Soongsilian ready to take on challenges and experience various things, why don’t you participate in this program?

 

Lee You-bin (ST Reporter)

leapforward@soongsil.ac.kr

Kwon Da-hee (ST Cub-Reporter)

kkkdiee@soongsil.ac.kr