Minsoo Kim, a freshman majoring in Computational and Data Sciences, has had an eventful first year at Mason Korea. After founding the student organization Movement 101, he helped establish a partnership between Mason Korea and the World Powerlifting Congress/Amateur World Powerlifting Congress Korea (WPC/AWPC Korea).
Kim first discovered the importance of working out during his high school years in Canada. He describes himself as being “very weak physically” back then. After graduating, he moved back to Korea and came across WPC/AWPC Korea in his neighborhood, where he has been actively involved since.
Naturally, Kim was looking for ways to integrate fitness and university life when he entered Mason Korea. This led to his creating Movement 101, a Registered Student Organization (RSO), with the mission to help students learn about sports management and encourage safe and healthy forms of working out.
“During the prolonged period of online classes, I realized the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle,” said Kim, adding, “I wanted to provide a place for students to not only work out, but learn how to do it properly since personal training can be expensive. I believe that a healthy mind and healthy body can help students succeed in and outside of the classroom.”
From the beginning, Kim created Movement 101 with the MOU in mind. “I wanted to take Movement 101 seriously even though it is a student organization,” he said. Kim’s role in the process largely involved facilitating communication between the two institutions and making sure that the partnership would be mutually beneficial.
After months of planning, Mason Korea Campus Dean Robert Matz signed an MOU with Yong Soo Lee, President of WPC/AWPC Korea, last month to explore areas for collaboration in educational, experiential learning, and professional development. Yorgun Marcel (Associate Dean for University Life), Sangyong Lee (CDC Director and Movement 101 Advisor, Minsoo Kim (President of MVM 101 and Secretary of WPC/AWPC Korea), Eunmi Joo (leading member of MVM 101), and Mihee Cho (Sr. Student Life Coordinator) also attended the signing ceremony.
Following the signing ceremony, Injun Hwang (sophomore business major) competed in the 2021 WPC/AWPC All Korea Powerlifting Championships as part of the terms of the agreement where Movement 101 members can participate in nationwide powerlifting championships. Dean Marcel delivered a congratulatory speech at the opening ceremony.
“We are honored to have entered into this partnership with AWPC Korea and are excited by the opportunities that this relationship will offer our students in embracing a healthy lifestyle, while also engaging with our local community in promoting the notion that wellness and physical activity are the foundation of a healthy mind,” said Dean Marcel.
“The best part of this whole experience has been that we actually made this partnership a reality,” said Kim, adding, “I would like to thank all of Movement 101’s leading members and Mason Korea staff for their support in making this happen. Mason Korea is very open to student input to help create a better university for all. If you are willing to make a positive change, don’t hesitate to share your ideas. “Move” to make a positive change!
To learn more about Movement 101, please click here.
December 02, 2021