From February 24 to 27, the Office of International Affairs (OIA) hosted the Study Abroad at Yonsei (SAY) Orientation. The opening ceremony began with a performance by the all-male choir GLEE. OIA Associate Dean Choi Sun-mi then welcomed the students, giving them an overview of Yonsei’s history and achievements. She also encouraged students to remain open-minded as they experience living and learning in a new culture and environment. Lastly, Associate Dean Choi expressed her wish for the students to become global leaders, ones who will achieve their goals with Yonsei pride. Following the welcome address, an introduction to academics at Yonsei was given by Underwood International College (UIC) Academic Advisor Kim Hyun-sang. Ms. Jung Gi-seon from OIA gave a presentation on student life at Yonsei, while providing details about the foreigner registration process. Ms. Ki Sun-ah from Library and Information Services also explained how to use the libraries on campus.

During the SAY Orientation, a number of icebreaker activities were held, and students were treated to performances by the dance teams Fever and RYU. Representatives from student clubs such as Yonsei Global, Mentors, IYC, and Emmaus spoke to the exchange students about their missions and activities. Other Yonsei students spoke about the Yon-Ko festival and life on the Seoul campus, while current international exchange students Maya Perkins and Daria Sanchez shared their experiences as members of the Yonsei community. About 240 student took part in tours of Seoul organized by OIA, which took them to a number of attractions in the city, including Gyeongbok Palace, Gwanghwamun, Samcheong-dong, the National Museum, Insadong, and Namsan Tower. The participating students were very pleased with the experience, as it helped them to adjust to life in Seoul and allowed them to make new friends.   

Professor Lee Bo-kyoung, director of the Division of International Education at OIA said of SAY:  “This is a great opportunity for students from all over the world to build critical viewpoints, understand diverse cultures, and communicate with counterparts from across the world. Yonsei students can also learn global viewpoints by taking classes with international students.”