For over one hundred years of history, our school almumni have been working behind the scenes. They have witnessed changes to the school’s basic foundations and have contributed to the school in many ways such as helping to develop it, encouraging juniors while keeping strong bonds with staff members. Side by side they have stood, watching steadily in their efforts to maintain the good name of Dongguk, ensuring that the university will always stand as a symbol, a beacon, of all that is decent. Now though, the ever watching eyes of our alumni are focused more than ever on our younger students. They are ready to lend them their helping hands. One of the leading members of the alumni, Kwan-ho Shin, has recently introduced their new plans for the future.

Alumni scholarship
The alumnus has given out scholarships ever since their establishment. These scholarships are among their greatest works and most significant contributions to young Donggukians. Lately, their purse strings have loosened, and the alumni have announced they will be increasing the number of beneficiaries to five-hundred. This leads our country's universities alumni. As of last March, only two-hundred were chosen but even this was far less than the forty they started out with.  As time passed, however, it was realized that less effort was needed to develop our facilities so that money could now be put towards helping the youth.

The fundamental reason for enlarging the number of scholarships was to give a helping hand to our students as well increase their morale and will to study. Many students who have received scholarships have already shown their deep appreciation toward their seniors’ great support. The alumnus, in all of their wisdom, hopes that these students will make their own contributions to the alumni in the near future as a kind of repayment, that they will feel that same sense of duty. In time the hope is that the cycle will continue to repeat itself with former students helping new students.

The criteria that the beneficiaries must meet are divided into two parts; requests from their major departments and from Jeong-gak-one. The alumnus accepts both recommendations from each office and then chooses who shall receive their scholarships.  This eventually creates a network that runs through all departments of the university and lays down the groundwork for the school to develop and foster young talented individuals in all areas.

"I remember one student who was continually being supported by the alumni. Back then, he was a student like any other, but he was receiving the alumni scholarship. Now he has graduated and he is actually running his own alcohol retail company. How great is that? Every time when we are holding some public event, he is bringing us his company's free booze, not just a little, but a lot. Good times. These are the kinds of connections we want to make." said Kwan-ho Shin and alumni member. This was the kind of repayment they were looking for by giving out scholarships.

	▲ Shin Kwan-ho, one of leading staff of Alumni Association's current project.

Alumni being made through the SNS

This last May, a public relations department was formed with their purpose being to have close relationships with the next generation of alumni members. Promoting close bonds among the members is the ultimate goal of the alumni these days and the SNS will help them to realize that dream. The alumni are a diverse group of Donggukians and there is a significant gap between both the young generations and the older members. For example, the younger generations prefers the internet as a form of media while the older members prefer papers. The younger members hope to contribute to the alumni by bringing their social network to the internet reducing the amount of paper they need while in the process saving them valued money. This is one great advantage of being so diverse. For a long time the alumni had published a paper which had caused them many difficulties such as mailing to wrong addresses and having to deal with the expenses of publishing. When members moved and papers were sent, that equaled money lost. But now by spreading out information on the internet they hope to construct a new cheaper online alumnus directory.

They will also be able to publish much quicker. The alumni paper used to come out three months in a row which made it hard for members to get in touch quickly if they wanted to say something and deliver fresh new ideas and updated news. This new system will allow them to share their news immediately. Ultimately the SNS will help alumni to encourage young members’ participation. "There are many kinds of members in our alumni and many are very caring ones.  Some offer great support and others like to criticize. We appreciate all of our members, even those who only like to criticize. Any interest is better than no interest. The more the merrier and we look forward to many new Donggukians joining our ranks. We are forever proud, forever diligent, forever Donggukian.

Kang Aa-young  katiexoxo@dongguk.edu

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