Graduation after Clocking 2,926 Hours of Service

Business student Jo Tae-ri was awarded a special medal for recording 2,926 hours of volunteer service when she graduated in February. As a member of the sixty- fifth General Volunteer Program run with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), Jo taught Korean language courses in Mongolia for two years. Following two months of on-site training, she began her teaching work in Choibalsan, a small village in eastern Mongolia.

Jo was posted in School No. 1 of Dornod Aimag, which has around 2000 students between the ages of six and eighteen. Initially, she was tasked with giving computer lessons; however, due to her poor Mongolian language skills, she soon began teaching Korean language and culture. Thanks to Hallyu, or the Korean Wave, her classes became very popular with the students. When she concluded her two-year service, there were several students preparing for a Korean speaking contest held in the capital of Ulaanbaatar.

Jo’s family and friends were concerned that she was not making the best use of her early twenties by volunteering overseas. Jo, however, is extremely satisfied with her experience and the lasting memories she made. She believes that her service learning has helped her to find the right direction in life, while positively shaping her values.