“I hope the friends and seniors and juniors who were with my son will help fulfill his dreams as well.”
A father who suddenly lost his son conveyed his wish by donating a university development fund to his son's alma mater in his name.
Park Min-won, President of Changwon National University (left), and Son Myung-dong, father of Sung Hyuk, are touching the donation plaque for the late student Son Sung-hyuk, set up at the university headquarters. [Photo by Changwon National University]
Mr. Son Myeong-dong lost his son, Seong-hyeok, to a heart attack on December 21 last year.
Seong-hyeok, a 2019 student of the Department of Business Administration at Changwon National University, was diligent in his university life and had a high academic achievement with a cumulative GPA of 4.3.
As a sincere student, he was dedicating himself to self-development and job preparation even during the winter break of the year he passed away.
Mr. Son, who lost his only son born when he was 38, was plunged into grief and could neither eat nor drink for a while. However, he soon began to look for things he could do for his son.
The couple’s decision was not long in coming. They decided to donate 100 million won as a university development fund to the university their son attended in his name. They thought this was a way to fulfill their son's unachieved dreams in his name.
At the donation ceremony for the late student Son Seong-hyeok's university development fund, Changwon National University President Park Min-won (fourth from the left) and Son Myeong-dong, Seong-hyeok's father, among others, are posing for a commemorative photo. [Photo by Changwon National University]
Changwon National University, Seong-hyeok’s alma mater, held a university development fund donation ceremony on the morning of the 8th to honor the wishes of Seong-hyeok’s parents.
They held an honorary graduation certificate awarding ceremony to present Seong-hyeok with the university’s first honorary diploma and planted a commemorative tree on campus.
The donation ceremony was attended by Seong-hyeok’s father, Mr. Son Myeong-dong, President Park Min-won, faculty and staff, and Seong-hyeok’s classmates from his department.
After the ceremony, President Park had lunch with Mr. Son at the student union cafeteria where Seong-hyeok used to eat.
Seong-hyeok’s classmate Kim Eun-ho recalled, “Seong-hyeok was quiet but always warm. He actively participated in department events, diligently fulfilled his roles, and carefully looked after his friends. He was always a grateful friend.”
Mr. Son said, “I thought about the place my son loved the most besides our home. It was the university campus where youth stayed and where he studied and lived diligently.” He added, “Although my son could not fully realize the dreams he nurtured at university, we decided to donate the development fund for Changwon National University students who give their best with the same passion as my son and for the university.”
“I am glad to be able to help, even in a small way, the juniors who will become the seeds and foundation of our society,” he said. “After discussing with my wife, we plan to continue building the university development fund.”
President Park said, “The sorrow of Son Seong-hyeok, who could not bloom like a flower, will be sublimated into a greater meaning through his father’s donation of the university development fund.” He added, “As president, I have once again learned and realized that it is important to run the university with a student-centered approach above all else.”
He continued, “This university development fund will be a precious foundation for Son’s juniors to achieve the dreams he could not fulfill. We will do our best to help realize those dreams in the future.”
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