The success story of Mason Korea, after a s eries of 2024 events that celebrated the Incheon campus’s first 10 years, could easily be told by numbers such as:
- More than 400 graduates.
- Nearly 200 unique classes, many with multiple sections, taught by over 40 faculty members.
- 6 undergraduate and 2 graduate programs.
- Student enrollment that has grown from 40 to 900+
But the real evidence of the impact of two nations becoming one Mason is felt in another way – the depth and breadth of options for students who engaged in a global experiential learning environment and were activated and engaged in campus culture through University Life, including:
- The Career Development Center with workshops, seminars, career fairs, internships, service opportunities and more.
- Student Involvement that provides Registered Student Organizations, leadership training, a scholarship fund and promotes wellness and healthy lifestyle choices.
- International Student Services, a team focusing on integrating international students to Korean culture, assisting Korean students transitioning to Fairfax and easing Fairfax students’ adjustment in Korea.
- Housing and Residential Life, where students get the full dormitory-life treatment from community building events and experiential leadership roles.
- Student Support and Counseling Services, which hosts many services and resources to help students succeed.
“The goal is to mirror the experience that students would have in Fairfax,” said Angela Kang, Associate Dean for University Life Mason Korea. “Everything we do is focused on Korea. “Everything we do is focused on giving students the best and most opportunities that create a sense of belonging.”That’s been the goal for Mason Korea since it opened for students in 2014 following more than two years of internal planning and working with partners that included the Korean government and other academic institutions. The strategy and implementation stretched across all departments and offices at Mason. The vision behind launching Mason Korea was as vast as the questions that loomed large in the minds of University Life leaders working to scale up Mason’s international campus, recalls Pat Carretta, who is now retired from her position as UL’s Assistant Vice President. Her structure for Mason Korea carefully considered the services students needed, the resources it would take to offer them and how to bridge multiple cultures on foreign soil, more than 6,900 miles away from Fairfax. “It was a unique challenge and a unique opportunity for all of us to create a student life (experience) in addition to the curriculum,” Carretta said. “Academics was obviously important but so was supporting the students so that they would be successful and have those chances of co-curricular events and activities, as well as robust support. “It took a lot of collaboration and figuring it out to the best of our ability, but there was always going to be a learn-as-you-go component.” She recalls one conversation when the Mason Korea team was working with representatives of the architectural firm designing the campus. Carretta asked where students would have space to congregate, whether that be common areas inside or outside on grassy areas.
The idea that students would do more than to go to class was a Western higher education cultural norm that would have been overlooked without guidance, she said. Dr. Lori Cohen Scher, Senior Assistant Dean for University Life, who learned under Carretta and is now the lead University Life consultant and liaison for Mason Korea, said the integration has always been a two-way street. “Over the years, in addition to working to replicate the Mason Fairfax student experience, we’ve also been highly sensitive to adapting, honoring and respecting Korean culture” Scher said. “It’s a partnership that constantly examines how to communicate needs across campuses, cultures and environments.” Kang, who has been in her position for two years and who routinely connects with Scher, believes the more input UL at Mason Korea receives from students, the better it can fulfill its mission and values of promoting inclusive well-being and fostering lifelong learning. “We’ve laid a really good foundation, and now is the time to continue building up,” she said. “We are growing and maturing, and we’re determined to give students the best of the best.” Mihee Cho, Assistant Manager, Student Involvement and Leadership Development, and a member of Kang’s team, offers a birds-eye view of how far they have come.
She joined UL Mason Korea a year after the campus opened and has helped shepherd key initiatives that provide students with a dynamic experience. “There’s been a lot of change, (all about) trying to fill the needs of students, and it’s getting better and better every year,” said Cho, who advises student involvement groups, assists students with skill development and helps evaluate potential department expansion. “We (look at) what is the purpose and what is the benefit. How does it help each student grow?” As the adage ‘the proof is in the pudding’ goes, student testimonials perhaps can offer the best insight into the UL’s performance and impact to learners at Mason Korea. Ambrose (Do Hyun) Lee, who graduated in 2022 with a business degree with a concentration in accounting, summed up his experience by noting his use of Mason Korea’s Career Development Center, a career consultant and a career fair at the Incheon Global Campus. “I cannot stress enough how much Mason Korea has molded me to become a multi-faceted student ready for a career in the United States,” he said. Meanwhile, Ha Eun Choi, a Global Affairs graduate with a minor in International Security, listed her opportunities as an intern in the Career Development Center, her service as a Global Student Ambassador and her experience as a staff writer for the school newspaper. “Take advantage of every resource and jump into your field of choice with confidence,” Choi advised Mason Korea students. The future is bright for these students and for Mason’s growing global education hub.