Ewha International Student Affairs Team (ISAT), under the OIA, recruited Ewha International Student Ambassadors (ISA) for the upcoming winter semester. The application period was from Nov. 23 to Dec. 4. All international students enrolled in the undergraduate or graduate program were eligible to apply for the ISA.
Students who are selected will start their ambassador activity in the coming winter semester. As many international students return to their home country after the end of the regular semester, ISA’s duty is to visit their high school or undergraduate school during their stay in the country and introduce Ewha Womans University to prospective students.
ISA is an official student activity that represents the school and encourages students to apply for admission to Ewha.
According to director Kim Jee-su, ISA has given advice to students regarding the school’s application process and campus life for more than five years. The ambassadors can also visit schools other than their alma mater to promote Ewha.
After sharing their stories at Ewha, international student ambassadors must submit a written report of their visits and activities. When ISAT approvesthat the ambassadors have fulfilled their jobs, they will grant an activity support fee to the students. The stipend will be given based on the number of schools or institutions the ambassadors visited.
ISAT offers certificates once the student ambassadors accomplish their duties. In order to support student ambassadors’ activities, ISAT will hand out Ewha souvenirs such as school pens and badges that ambassadors can distribute at their alma mater or other institutions. ISAT also prepared apromotional leaflet and a USB drive that contains a video that introduces Ewha.
Truong Thuy Quynh, a senior in International Studies, shared her story during her term as an international student ambassador. Truong worked as an ISA member from July to September of 2019 back in her hometown Hanoi, Vietnam.
“I prepared a speech that could promote Ewha at my high school,” Truong said. “I explained the undergraduate programs at Ewha, the admissions and scholarship process, and other details of university life. I also took this opportunity to introduce scholarship programs in Ewha that helps Vietnamese students.”
Truong especially thanked the promotional video that ISAT provided for her. According to Truong, the video was very effective in introducing what kind of educational institution Ewha is and created good impressions about the school.
Although Truong suggested a longer term for the student ambassador position would improve the quality of the ISA program, she was able to make several favorite memories while she worked as an ISA.
“What was most memorable about being an ambassador was that I was able to interact once again with my teachers back in my Vietnam high school,” Truong said. “As I reached out to my high school educators to offer a promotional session for Ewha, I was able to learn that Vietnamese schools did not get sufficient access to information on studying abroad. I feel grateful for the opportunity to serve as an ambassador as I provided helpful sources to the Vietnamese educators.”
Huang Tzu Tung, a junior majoring in English language and literature, was an international student ambassador in the summer semester of 2019. Huang went back to Taiwan during the summer and gave presentations on Ewha at her high school.
“People do not necessarily think of Korea when it comes to studying abroad, but Ewha is very famous in Taiwan,” Huang said. “After my presentation ended, several students came to me for more information. I was genuinely proud of Ewha and felt I was giving help to the students by being an ISA.”