▲ Lee Ji-hyun(English Lang&Lit 2)

The Ewha Voice extends its sincere gratitude to all the applicants who submitted essays for the 25th Ewha Voice English Essay Contest co-hosted with Ewha Womans University. This year? topics for the essay contest were "Is marriage while attending college helpful for your career? Why or why not?'and 'If you could establish a new department (or new major within an existing division) at Ewha, what would it be, and why?'No essay was awarded the First Prize this year. The Second Prize was given to Lee Ji-hyun. Lee So-young and Oh Da-eun were awarded Joint Third Prizes. We truly congratulate the winners and look forward to our next essay contest.

2nd Place - Excerpts
A Win-Win Strategy For Ewha: The Creation of Spanish Department

  Globalization has brought many changes to our world today. Therefore, the importance of learning key foreign languages is being emphasized more than ever. Knowing this fact, Ewha University already has departments of English, French, Chinese and German to prepare its students to become global leaders. However, to keep up with the fierce competition from both inside and outside of Korea, Ewha needs to create a new department that promises brighter future and due to many reasons, a new Spanish department will be the best way to achieve this goal. Ewha should establish a Spanish department because Spanish is a globally competitive language, easy to learn, and it is a useful language within Korea.
  Firstly, Spanish has enormous power world wide. Spanish is most used as a native language in more countries than any other language. Spanish speaking countries are on every continent, especially Central and South America. This is why people speaking Spanish rank 3rd in number worldwide after Chinese and English. The UN recognizes the widespread nature of Spanish, so it is now one of the UN's and other important international bodies'official language. Thus, Spanish has become a key language of diplomatic and cultural exchanges in global activities. Mastering it would be helpful to Ewha students who want to work in international organizations like the UN. Moreover, Spanish is helpful to students who want to work in multinational companies. Due to South America's emergence as a new market force, companies are investing in South America. For example, the world's leading bank, HSBC, has recently started branches in Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica, and El Salvador, all of which are Spanish speaking countries. Japan recognizes the power of Spanish, so it has Spanish departments in 115 universities. In order for Ewha to emerge as globally competitive university, it also has to establish a Spanish department.
  Secondly, Spanish is easy to learn. Spanish is easy because it uses the roman alphabet. Unlike Japanese and Chinese, there are no whole new sets of characters that students are unfamiliar with. Also, Spanish is very similar to English.  Since most Ewha students or people aspiring to become Ewha students have above average level of English fluency, learning Spanish will be easy. For example, words are quite similar between these two languages. Public is publico in Spanish, and negative is negativo. Moreover, Spanish is easy to pronounce for Koreans. It is known that Koreans have a hard time pronouncing strongly accented foreign languages like French and Chinese. Spanish pronunciation is easy because it does not have the nasal sounds French has or the hard tongue rolling sound Chinese has; therefore, less stressful.
  Lastly, Spanish is very useful within Korea. Right now, recognizing the power of Spanish, major universities including Seoul National University and Korea University already have Spanish departments. There are also many certificates of qualification Ewha students can earn with Spanish fluency. Among them are middle school teacher, travel translator and translation certificates. There are also many public service personnel tests Ewha students can take with Spanish learning. They can take the foreign affairs department test, the justice department test, the public service personnel promotion test, the woman commissioned officer test, and so on. Furthermore, recent increases of trade between Korea and Spanish speaking nations made major Korean companies recognize the opportunities in the South American market, so these companies welcome Spanish speakers. Recent ratification of an FTA with Chile has motivated companies like LG and Samsung to expand their market into South America. These facts show that Spanish fluency is very useful and helpful within Korea. Many major universities, public service area, and major companies are putting high value in Spanish. Ewha should follow this trend as well to gain superior competitiveness.
In Korea, the power of Spanish is somewhat understated because people focus mainly on Asia. Also, old Japanese imperialist ways of emphasizing French and German still persist in today;s society. Now, Ewha should break that old custom and focus on what really matters and what is really important. Spanish has undeniable world wide power, and its relative easiness to master can attract many students. Therefore, establishing a Spanish department will be a win-win strategy for both Ewha and its students. Ewha University will have unprecedented competitive power that makes them all winners inside and outside of Korea.
*Lee Ji-hyun
(English Lang. & Lit., 2)
◆ The writer suggests her thesis well with specific examples related to both global trends and life at Ewha. Her organization is a bit rigid but also clear and easy to follow.
- Comments by Professor Peter Kipp (English Language & Literature)


***3rd Place (Joint) - Excerpts
Biotechnology as a New Department at Ewha University
  Technology is key to the growth and development of all societies/countries. All fields are adapting to and benefiting from the aid of technology and its tools. Biotechnology, which I believe to be especially worth our attention and our efforts, sets a global stage for trends that will soar beyond modernization. So if I could establish a new department at Ewha University, it would be the Department of Biotechnology.
  The practical value and applicability of biotechnology cannot be ignored. To define the term: biotechnology is technology based on biology and integrated science, applied to living organisms and biological systems to create useful products and processes. In the area of medicine, biotechnology effectively combats many of the world's science and health problems. Many diseases lack effective medicine and treatments, and thus several areas of healthcare are in an urgent state. Though medicine continues to develop, its aid to humankind is  insufficient: much of the studies are just too complicated and far more demanding than, say, the vaccination issues of Pasteur's time. Nowadays, many breakthroughs in biological science cross paths with DNA technology and almost always involve the advanced experimentation of compounds and components at the genetic, molecular level. As yet another example, biotechnology as applied to agriculture, can produce immense benefits. Biotechnology has indeed enhanced our level of knowledge and discovery in science. But its inseparable tie to the role it has in the improvement of health and life necessitates its priority to be explored as a field of humane practice, innovation, and potential. And implementing a biotechnology program would certainly be reflective of the values of an institution of higher learning.
  Biotechnology is a promising field. Not only so in terms of job prospects but also as there is so much uncharted water, so to speak, in terms of research and knowledge base. A Department of Biotechnology at this school would provide opportunities for women who are passionate about learning and eager to be challenged.
In our society, need, motivation, or idea alone is not always enough to achieve set goals for humanity. Often, those factors work together to accelerate or chance upon gains in technology and much is made possible. The rapid rise of technology is unavoidable and just as evitable as the increased complicatedness of the issues with which we deal. What would you dare to do, to dream for mankind? A biotechnology department is an ideal addition to this university, as we strive to bring virtuous endeavors of our school and nation to the forefront of world arena. It is definitely food for thought.
Lee So-young (Architecture, 3)
◆ This essay has interesting points and is well organized, but a more concrete vision for Ewha? biotech department would make it stronger.
- Comments by Professor Peter Kipp (English Language & Literature)

****3rd Place (Joint) - Excerpts
A New Pair of Glasses:
?opulation?as a New Department
  In The Lexus and the Olive Tree (2000), Friedman applauded a multi-lens perspective, and referred to lenses such as politics, culture, security, and trade. "But if and when a new dimension becomes apparent, I will add it,"he also said. Given a chance, I'd like to pass him a polished lens case, with this tag: Population. Among the diverse departments in Ewha, it is this dimension that will enrich our academic experience and enhance future perspectives.
  Aging is already a phenomenon spread over the developed world, but Korea is aging faster than any other country, accompanied with a 1.06 birth-rate. This reality of elongated life-expectancy and low birth-rates are predicted not to be reversed soon, and has already become a steady trend. If you want to look into the future, one said, it is cheaper and more accurate to roam through demography statistics than to go to a fortune-teller. And the statistics tell that in the future, the mainstream will be older people.
  A Population Studies Department deals with the social and economic consequences of population change, and reaches every sphere from unemployment, public policy to marketing strategies. How do we deal with the increases of pension burdens? How do we offset the decline of the labor force as the population ages at this unprecedented speed? Do we import foreign labor? How do we manage a multi-ethnic society? If we do not trouble our minds with these matters beforehand, we might stand with empty hands facing an immense wave.
  The growing graying population likely to be accompanied by fewer children, more international marriages, and import of labor. It is not difficult to imagine that parents will spend in a different way for their only child, and that multiethnic families will have distinct needs from traditional ones. In order for the firms to fulfill customer needs, the business must be equipped with an added pair of glasses.
  The subject Human Resources Management would have to incorporate seniors, women, and foreigners better into work. Finance and Risk Management would have take into account new actors's behavior. I imagine a dynamic, cutting-edge demographic business department, where students work with cases of successful companies that were able to create a competitive edge by considering new actors.
As the companies strive for profits more inclusively, a more coherent and happy societal ambience may be achieved. No major Korean University currently possesses a Population Studies Division. With this new pair of glasses we would be better prepared for a new vision of our society and our university. And it must not only be business that we look at with it.
Oh Da-eun (International Studies, 3)
◆ The writer has good ideas and a vivid writing style, but sometimes lets her love of big words get out of hand, resulting in confusing writing.
- Comments by Professor Peter Kipp (English Language & Literature)

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