Growing in leadership and service

Growing in leadership and service

Minsoo Chung, a junior majoring in economics, is the new student council president this year. Minsoo shared his vision and goals for leading the council in hopes of enhancing the overall student experience here at Mason Korea.

1. Why did you want to run for student council president this year?

First and foremost, I love being a student here at Mason Korea and always wanted to contribute to the university in any way possible as a way to give back for how I’ve grown here. I didn’t believe I was sophisticated enough for a leadership position, but this institution gave me the opportunity and confidence to be more engaged. My Resident Advisor (RA) and Yorgun Marcel, Associate Dean of Student Affairs, have been really encouraging and helped me believe that I am qualified to take the student council to the next level.

I felt that I could have the most tangible impact on our campus as president of the student council since I believe that the student council is the bridge between the student body and the school administration.

2. What was your first area of focus as president?

Improving communication. Sometimes students miss out on crucial information or are slow to catch up on various policy changes or resources they can take advantage of. We used online platforms like Kakao group chats (members increased by 40%) and Skype at the beginning of the semester and tripled the usage of our student council email. This was to allow students to virtually express their opinions in an easier way.

Also, we created more positions that can practically assist students and promote transparency for further plans. This meant creating a new position called Finance and Transparency Manager who supervises how the funds are being used. We would also like to post our quarterly financial statement on the student council page on the university website.

3. Is there something you are working on externally as well?

Communication between students and staff/faculty is one of the most important aspects for me as student council president. At the start of the semester, we conducted an anonymous survey for all students about their satisfaction with online courses as well as the housing situation. Not only did 90 students participate, but the results were also delivered to the staff, which contributed to improving the quality of online classes in light of COVID-19. This was a big success and I also plan to actively reach out to media outlets in the local community.

I believe we, as the student council, can contribute to promoting our school through affiliation with local magazines such as Songdo Inside and other channels such as broadcasting, radio, or YouTube. Further, I am planning to hold biannual meetings with Mason Korea alumni for internship and scholarship opportunities to help students facing financial difficulty.

Minsoo Chung having a discussion with John T. Crist, the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs

4. What are some things you hope to achieve this year both personally and for the student council?

I want to break free from the fear of trying new things or fear of rejection and confront challenges. Lots of people have creative ideas but because of various regulations/bureaucracy, they fail to make anything happen. Last year, I led a fundraising event which involved a lot of issues related to taxes, fire safety, and fund usage, but I was still able to push through and donated to a nonprofit organization called ‘Onday.’ I want to expand this much further to involve the whole student body. The student council will be joining the volunteer activities of Onday on a quarterly basis so that we can encourage other students to take action. I hope this kind of active engagement becomes a habit and shapes the culture of our council.

5. What are some other activities you would like to conduct throughout the year?

I think I’m being quite ambitious this year for creating events that can impact the entire Mason Korea institution. I would like to further support the A&E team by being involved with more high school visits that can contribute to increasing the enrollment numbers.

Setting up a Patriot Engagement Fund is another goal I have. We would like to run an independent student council, create funds for events, and contribute funds to school facilities and technical support. We also want to invest in membership training, after-parties, and other social events outside of school events and donate to the Stay Mason Fund (need-based scholarship). Our current goal is to raise 5000 USD per semester.

I also want to provide more financial support for the Chingu program and expand the Korea Explore program (preferably with the Patriot Engagement Fund) so that students can explore places outside of Incheon, including a visit to the DMZ next semester, which can be an educational experience for students.

Another idea is setting up a social media account to sell secondhand books so that students can buy textbooks for a cheaper price. 

Minsoo Chung talking with his peer

6. Do you have any plans to collaborate with the Fairfax campus?

Definitely. Students here at the Korea campus hope to see more interaction with the home campus. My plan is to be a bridge and have monthly virtual meetings with the Fairfax student council and Resident Advisors. Hopefully we can discuss various things including dormitory problems—that is, whether MK students can get priority when they visit Fairfax. I hope to discuss on campus job opportunities as well since MK students have limitations when it comes to securing a job outside the campus. Maybe we can also discuss what courses we can bring to Korea.

My hope and vision is that our student councils build a stronger relationship and exchange ideas that can improve our student life.

7. Any last words to students and readers who are going through the coronavirus crisis both at the US and Korea campus?

I would like to say thank you for taking the time to read my interview. It is a difficult time for everyone as we endure a worldwide pandemic. I wish to look at the brighter side and focus on what we can do as students rather than complain about the depressing situation. Even though we are apart, this is the time we should be more active in communicating with each other. Please contact your friends and peers when you are in need and don’t forget that the student council is here to help. Stay healthy and don’t forget to get good rest while studying. I hope to see you all soon.

Minsso Chung with Student Council members