Alumni association of College of Business and Economics in Seoul holds welcoming ceremony for juniors who found jobs in the Metropolitan area for the third straight year
Over 500 alumni participate and vow life-long support as mentors for the juniors
[November 21, 2014]

Leaders of Korea who graduated from YU gathered at the Namsan J-Gran House Zexy Garden at 7 p.m. on the 20th. They wanted to encourage their junior alumni who just began their professional careers in the Seoul area.

The YU Finance and Economy Alumni Association (Chairman Yoon Sang-hyeon) held the third Finance and Economy Alumni Welcoming Ceremony since 2012. This was designed to congratulate junior alumni who just took their first step into society and to show the love and interest that seniors have for juniors.

YU Finance and Economy Alumni Association Chairman Yoon Sang-hyeon (Commerce '69, CEO of Ilshin Electronic Industry Trade), Korea Kolmar CEO Yoon Dong-hyeon (Business '66), Former Minister of Health and Welfare Jeon Jae-hee (Public Administration '68), National Assemblyman Kim Jang-shil (Public Administration '75), Korea Minting and Security Printing Corporation President Kim Hwa-dong (Law '76), Small & Medium Business Corporation President Park Cheol-gyu (Law '76), National Assemblyman Joo Ho-young (Law '78), Senior Coach of the Korean National Football Team Shin Tae-yong (Physical Education '88), and others for a total of 200 YU alumni in politics, government, finance, law and cultural sectors did not hesitate to take time out for their juniors despite their busy schedules. At this event, about 150 of over 1,000 YU graduates who moved to the Seoul area in the past three years for their jobs attended to fill up the venue with a total of about 500 YU alumni. They greeted each other happily and talked about many different things.

<Clock wise from top left: Former Minister of Health and Welfare Jeon Jae-hee, Korea Kolmar CEO Yoon Dong-hyeon, National Assemblyman Joo Ho-young, Korea Minting and Security Printing Corporation President Kim Hwa-dong>

Senior Coach of the Korean National Football Team Shin Tae-yong (Physical Education '88) who came straight to the venue from the airport after a friendly match in the Middle East to meet his juniors said, "I always had a dream since I first started soccer. My efforts to go to college, become a professional, and then become a member of the national team helped me to make so many achievements at a young age. At one point, together with another YU alumni, the baseball player Yang Joon-hyuk (Economics '88), we were at the top of our games in soccer and baseball. I challenge all of our juniors who are just starting their professional careers to have dreams and continuously work to reach them. I will also continue to work hard to be able to stand before you again in the near future as the head coach of our national football team."

YU Finance and Economy Alumni Association Chairman Yoon Sang-hyeon (65) who has planned and prepared for the event for the past three years said in his welcoming speech, "My hope in preparing for this event was to have the senior alumni act as mentors for our junior alumni just beginning their professional careers and with the hopes that our junior alumni will follow the lead of their seniors and become a pillar in the development of our society." He added, "I ask that in the next 20 or 30 years, you also host such welcoming events for your juniors who will also be just beginning their professional careers."

Jung Jin-guk (25, School of Economics and Finance, '08), who graduated in August and landed a job in the sales department of Samsung Securities headquarters, replied on behalf of the young alumni, "When I attended this event last year as a student, I felt proud to be from YU and vowed that I would get a job and be able to attend this event. It is very meaningful that I can make this address on behalf of my fellow alumni." He added, "I will take the love given to me from our senior alumni and repay it by passing on an even greater love for my juniors."

<Yeungnam School Foundation President Lee Cheon-soo (left) and YU President Noh Seok-kyun giving their words of encouragement>

At the welcoming ceremony, Yeungnam School President Lee Cheon-soo (71) and YU President Noh Seok-kyun (58) also attended on behalf of the school to express their gratitude for the efforts of senior alumni for their juniors.

Mr. Lee Cheon-soo said in his words of encouragement, "I understand that this was event was prepared by senior alumni for their pure passion and love for their juniors and alma mater. I am sure that the junior alumni now taking their first steps into the real world will feel very proud to be YU alumni and will feel the high status of their alma mater." He added, "I hope the junior alumni will never lose their pride as YU alumni and work even harder to become leaders of Korea."

During YU President Noh Seok-kyun's words of encouragement, he said, "The senior alumni attending today also came to Seoul 30 or 40 years ago and are now leaders in their fields as ministers, Assemblymen, and CEOs." He added, "Our new alumni here are the future of YU and will be the future of Korea."

At the welcoming ceremony, the seniors also gave short lectures for juniors. Korea Kolmar CEO Yoon Dong-han said, "I always made challenges hoping to become a successful businessman and I have come all the way here now. I ask that our juniors also have dreams for the next 10, 20 and 30 years and continue to work hard to achieve those dreams." Korea Minting and Security Printing Corporation President Kim Hwa-dong gave advice to his juniors saying, "If you overcome hard times, you will surely find opportunities for growth," and added, "I ask that you make the hard and difficult times the footstone for growth."

At this three-hour event, participants made mentor and mentee pledges and promised to continue their ties. Rice wine that they made and brought from YU that was used to make a toast by Former Minister of Health and Welfare Jeon Jae-hee and celebrated their new relationships and promised to meet again in 2015.

The new alumni who just landed jobs and attended this welcoming ceremony handed over donations that they gathered by taking parts from their monthly paycheck asking that it be used for the development of the school.