A WARM FAREWELL AND WELCOME TO BLOOMFIELD COLLEGE’S EXCHANGE STUDENTS
August 13, 2002, Bloomfield, NJ - After six months, a group of 40 exchange students from Handong Global University and Kyungpook National University in Korea are ready to graduate from the Advanced Technology Institute (ATI), at Bloomfield College. Simultaneously, the College will welcome 40 new Koreans students into the Information Technology (IT) Exchange Program.
Last February, 40 Korean students arrived at Kennedy International Airport in New York and were formally welcomed to Bloomfield College, which was one of three U.S. Institutions chosen by the Korean government to provide instruction in information technology for Korean university students.
|
|
Bloomfield College’s success in being selected by the Korean government is a result of the level of instruction and the certifications offered through the ATI program, together with the energy and innovation of Dr. Peter Jeong, vice president for the Advanced Technology Institute.
For twenty-four weeks, these students undertook a rigorous academic schedule including classes in Cisco, Solaris, Checkpoint, and instruction in English-language speaking and presentation skills.
“The CCNA (Cisco) class was my favorite”, said Kyung Min Go of Handong Global University. “We had a great professor, Joseph Moew, who was very passionate about what he taught, and he was well-respected because he had great impact on us”, said Go.
Michelle Seon Kyung Chun, a statistics major from Kyunpook University, says that her certifications in various computer programs that she received “will broaden her options” in her field of work when she goes back to Korea. The students all agreed that this has been a great opportunity for them.
Along with the curriculum, the Korean students participated in a series of trips that would allow them to have a robust “American” experience. Some of these trips included outings to Six Flags Great Adventures, Broadway shows, the Metropolitan Museum, and Yankee Stadium. Additionally, the students went to Canada, Boston, Chicago, New York, and selected Ivy League schools.
“I gained the confidence and challenge to work hard and the opportunity to develop many friendships,” said Yujin Kim, an IT/Computer Engineering major at Handong Glogal University.
New participants of the IT Exchange Program will be from the same two universities in addition to a third institution, Jeon Ju University. These students will begin the program August 14, 2002, and stay for twenty-six weeks.
“With this group of students I hope to incorporate more internships as well as various other projects that will enable the participants to apply that which was learned to the U.S. environment,” says Dr. Jeong. “Such experiences will expose them to the culture of the corporate world.”
Dr. Jeong would also like to implement greater interaction between the exchange students and the student body of Bloomfield College to establish the interconnectedness within the college community. Furthermore, Jeong hopes to establish an equal exchange program that will allow Bloomfield College students to go to Korea for six months while studying at Handong Global University and Kyungpook National University. Such a program will uphold and satisfy the standard of Bloomfield College’s mission.
Founded in 1868 as a Presbyterian seminary, Bloomfield College has renewed itself to meet the changing needs of the community. The College has earned national recognition for its innovative, high quality academic and co-curricular programs and for its commitment to serve students from all backgrounds, particularly those who have traditionally been excluded from higher education. Its mission is to prepare students to attain academic, personal and professional excellence in a multicultural and global society.
