Dongmyeong University Graduate Kim Jaewoon's Secret to Passion and Perseverance: "Concentration and Creativity"
Also Received Degree Certificate Jointly Issued by University President and Busan Chamber of Commerce Chairman
[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Kim Yong-woo] There was a time in high school when he immersed himself in gaming for 16 hours a day. Those around him were very worried. However, it was actually concentration.
A young man who showcased his talents and abilities by running around in all directions during college won a total of about 54 million KRW in prize money and scholarships from academics and various competitions.
The total amount of scholarships and prize money he earned during college far exceeded twice the tuition fees he had to pay. At this point, he is someone who attended college while receiving money, not spending it.
The secret was his interest and enthusiasm for various experiential programs.
He won the Busan Mayor’s Award by producing new packaging containers for a dumpling shop whose sales plummeted due to COVID-19.
He discovered the problem of mixed beverage trash around the library and independently created recyclable trash bins for ice, drinks, and other waste. These were installed in eight libraries, and he won 2 million KRW in a design thinking competition.
“Whether it’s a curricular or extracurricular subject, once you develop interest, concentration and creativity naturally follow,” who is he?
He is Kim Jae-woon (26), who recently graduated from the Department of Management Information Systems at Dongmyung University (President Jeong Hong-seop).
During his four years at university, he earned a total of about 54 million KRW in various scholarships and prize money, like “Bong-i Kim Seon-dal.” Scholarships amounted to about 37 million KRW from over 40 occasions, and prize money was about 16 million KRW from over 90 occasions. This is about 2.5 times his four-year tuition of about 22 million KRW.
The confirmed awards are so numerous that listing them all is difficult.
They include awards from the Motivation Semester UCC Competition, TU Tutoring & 040 Gold Prize, CTL Supporters Best Award, Tutoring 040 Team Activity Support Award, Anabada Grand Prize, BUP & CUP Grand Prize, Design Thinking Award, Learning Method Research Association Award, K-CESA Award, CUP Excellence Award, STEPUP Bronze Prize, CTL Supporters Best Award, and nearly 100 others.
Kim was not originally creative and passionate. In the past, he was a student uninterested in academics, absorbed in computer games. From high school, he played the game League of Legends for 16 hours a day. His ranking was in the top 0.01%.
Kim said, “I started to enjoy various extracurricular programs at university, and by participating with passion like when I was immersed in gaming, I achieved many results and a sense of accomplishment,” adding, “I think the ‘process’ of diverse experiences is much more meaningful than the ‘results.’”
Jeon Tae-gyun, head of the Student Competency Management Center at Dongmyung University, explained, “In the 2020 academic year, about 160 extracurricular programs were offered, and a total of 49,114 students participated throughout the year, averaging more than six participations per student.”
This shows how rich the university’s experiential practice programs are.
At this graduation, Kim received a special diploma along with five other students from the university.
He received the highest award (MCD+ certification) in the comprehensive evaluation of all areas?extracurricular (M), major (C), and character liberal arts (D)?and was awarded a diploma jointly signed by the president of Dongmyung University and the chairman of the Busan Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
This valuable diploma certifies that he is a “true talent” ready to be immediately deployed in any field, as evaluated and certified jointly by the university and industry.
The industry-academia joint degree system is currently uniquely implemented only at Dongmyung University nationwide.
President Jeong Hong-seop said, “The scholarship amount per student at Dongmyung University is 3,801,716 KRW (2020 information disclosure), ranking first among all universities in the Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam regions with more than 5,000 students.”
Dongmyung University, which recorded the highest employment rate (71.8%) among medium-to-large general universities (with over 1,000 graduates) in the Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam areas, has maintained a top 10 nationwide ranking in the proportion of students participating in field training for the past five years.
In most departments, industry-academia cooperation professors with more than 10 years of corporate field experience provide close and in-depth counseling on student career paths.
The university is waiting to see if this system can produce another “Kim Jae-woon.”
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