The first Ewha Global Partnership Program (EGPP) President’s Dinner was held on May 2 at the Lee Sam-Bong Hall in the Ewha Campus Complex. This dinner was organized by the Office of Global Affairs (OGA) to encourage EGPP students to share their opinions about their campus lives with the president.
The dinner was composed of various sessions, including speeches by two student representatives, a presentation about the EGPP, student performances, and group activities combined with student discussions.
“It is a great honor for us to study at Ewha since the field of education for women is greatly limited in our own countries,” said Shakhanova Nurassyl (Business Administration, Graduate School), the representative for EGPP freshmen.
During the group discussions, students shared stories of their difficulties on campus. Students expressed their hardships, such as taking Korean courses and competing with Korean students to earn certain grades, or having few chances to meet with other EGPP students.
“I hope there are more chances for us, EGPP students, to meet each other in the future as it helps us to understand one another and adjust to the school better,” Dong Thuy Duong (Asian Studies, Graduate School) said.
This opportunity helped the OGA understand the needs and the thoughts of the EGPP students and simultaneously encouraged both the school and the students to try to understand each other better.
“We will try our best to reflect on their words and reduce their difficulties at school,” said Helen Chung, the program coordinator of the OGA.
Students were satisfied with the event as well. They were excited to meet the president of the school and took the opportunity as an honor.
“I really enjoyed the event as it showed how much the school cares for us, and also because I had the chance to meet other EGPP students,” Muhamiriza Noella (International Studies, 3) said.
The EGPP was founded in 2006 to educate future female leaders from developing countries and support them in their contributions to the international community. The school offers full scholarships to all EGPP students.
“The EGPP inherits the spirit of Mary Scranton, who devoted herself to raising women’s social status in Korea,” President Kim Sun-uk said in her welcoming speech.
The OGA is planning to organize more events during the semester, reflecting EGPP students’ opinions that required more chances for them to get along with each other.
Chung Che-yoon
thfl353@ewhain.net