'Buyeong Scholarship Student' Janine Mary: "I Will Contribute to Global Health Based on Korean Education"

Enrolled at National Cancer Center Graduate School of Cancer Science and Policy
Received One Semester Tuition Support from Woojung Education and Culture Foundation
Foundation Has Provided 10 Billion KRW in Scholarships Over 15 Years

"I want to establish a health system in my homeland, the Philippines, that is as efficient as Korea's."

Booyoung Group Woojeong Education and Culture Foundation Scholar Janine Mary Valbedina. Photo by Booyoung Group

Janine Mary Valbedina, who is enrolled in the Department of Cancer Management at the Graduate School of International Cancer Studies, National Cancer Center, said in an interview with Asia Economy on the 5th, "Unlike Korea, the Philippines has limited accessibility to cancer screening, making it difficult to identify the main causes of cancer," adding, "Based on the education I received in Korea, I want to continue research on cancer prevention and patient care in the Philippines."

Janine Mary earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in Public Health from the University of the Philippines before coming to Korea in 2021 to study advanced health systems. After completing a master's program in Public Policy at Yonsei University, she is currently pursuing a doctoral program (Public Health course) at the Graduate School of International Cancer Studies, National Cancer Center, where she is studying cancer in depth.

Janine Mary's continued studies in Korea have been greatly supported by the scholarship from the Woongjeong Education and Culture Foundation of Booyoung Group. Last month, she was selected as a foreign student scholarship recipient by the Woongjeong Education and Culture Foundation and received tuition support for the second semester. Janine Mary said, "Living expenses in Korea were high, and I faced significant financial difficulties, but the scholarship support from the Woongjeong Education and Culture Foundation has greatly eased my burden," adding, "I will study harder to contribute to global health."

The Woongjeong Education and Culture Foundation, established in 2008 by Booyoung Group Chairman Lee Joong-geun with his personal funds, has been providing scholarships for 15 years since 2010 to alleviate the financial burdens of foreign students enrolled in domestic universities. At the '2024 Second Semester Foreign Student Scholarship Award Ceremony' held last month, scholarships totaling 402 million KRW were donated to 99 foreign students from 33 countries. To date, a cumulative total of 10 billion KRW has been provided to 2,548 students from 43 countries across Asia, Africa, and Latin America.