On March 4, 2014, Mason Korea opened its doors to its first class of students, all 40 of them. This Spring, it has been 10 years since that first intrepid group of students, faculty, and staff launched this new campus, and Mason Korea is celebrating.
George Mason itself is a young university, just over 50 years old, and at 10 years Mason Korea is a lot younger still. But as I wrote a couple years ago about Mason’s 50th anniversary, it is what you do with your years that counts.
Like the university of which we are apart, Mason Korea possesses a spirit of daring and determination that has allowed us to achieve a lot over these ten years.
Most notably, our community has grown tremendously since 2014. A campus that began with 40 students now has close to 1,000. And with more students come more faculty—now around 50—more courses—now about 200 a semester—and more student organizations—now over 20. We also have a full and talented staff to support the operations of our campus and the success of our students.
We’ve grown in other ways as well. We have launched new academic programs and continue to do so, our newest, a Master’s in Law (LLM), starting this May. We have established two research centers with a third on the way. In 2021 we created a separate research foundation that supports our faculty’s research and consulting activities with industry. As we grow in size, we grow as well in the scope of our ambitions.
But what I see as the greatest success of Mason Korea is the success of our students. The other day, our new student government president and vice president addressed our faculty. The president, who grew up in Fairfax, VA, where Mason’s home campus is located, is the first generation in her family to attend college. She had never previously been outside of the Americas. Now she is here in Korea, and president of the student body. How far she has traveled!
The vice president, who is from Seoul, told us how much the experience of a US university in Korea has meant to him. He remarked that in the Korean educational system interaction among students and faculty is minimal. He loves that at Mason Korea such interaction is welcome and encouraged. Though Seoul is not a long way from our campus in Incheon, in terms of educational environment, this student too has traveled far.
As we grow, we provide these tremendous experiences to more and more students, and prepare them for success, and indeed leadership, in a world marked by global challenges and opportunities.
So there is much to celebrate! And we will. Look out for 10th-anniversary events throughout the Spring 2024 semester, with the culmination of our celebration from June 12 – June 14, when we will be joined by University President Gregory Washington and other members of the university’s senior leadership, as well as our friends and supporters in Korea.
These 10th celebrations are also our chance to celebrate everyone who made Mason Korea: its faculty, staff, partners at the home campus, and friends and supporters in Korea.
10 years is a beginning. Mason Korea, just getting started, has a truly bright future. I hope you will come celebrate this future with us.