- Students decorate the door of the professor’s office on Teacher’s Day
- Started voluntarily as a team since the opening of Handong Global University in 1995 and has become a tradition
(Photo 1) The door of the professor’s office decorated with the Teacher’s Day
On May 15th at midnight, students engage in a decoration activity in front of professors' offices. It is a tradition at Handong Global University (President Choi Do-seong) to decorate the entrance doors of professors' offices on Teacher's Day. Although the word "teacher" has long disappeared from university campuses, the Teacher's Day event at Handong University has been consistently held every year since the school's establishment in 1995. This retro event continues even in the digital-dominated year of 2023. Around 20 students gather to create artwork with photos and paper, incorporating the characteristics of their team and respective professors.
The artworks attached to the classroom doors feature witty titles, often using the professors' names or parodying popular dramas, movies, or characters. For example, a title like "Jujae: One, Bujae: Two" (School of Communication, Professor Jae Won Joo's team, Jujae is the title in Korean and Bujae is subtitle) combines the professor's field of study and name.
Handong Global University emphasizes a sense of community and operates under a team system. Around 30 students from various majors and academic years are assigned to a team and live together as a community for one year. During this time, team members learn to respect and care for each other while engaging in various activities such as volunteering, sports, games, and physical education every Wednesday. The guiding professors act as mentors and also take on the role of students' parents, providing care and advice. Although Handong University is located in Pohang, Gyeongsangbuk-do, approximately 30% of incoming students come from Seoul, Incheon, and the Gyeonggi region, and students from all over the country attend the university, with around 16.5% being international students or students who have completed their high school education abroad, making it a global university.
(Photo 2) ‘Jiwoohak’, Professor Jieun Jung’s team for the year 2022
Within the closely-knit team that lives like a family, students visit professors' offices to share their concerns, and professors offer advice generously while buying food for the students with their personal funds. The team ‘Jiwoohak’, led by Professor Jieun Jung at Handong Global University even formed a ‘Gemoim’ (meaning a regular meeting to form a fund or share ideas). Students contribute funds to organize events within the team, ensuring that no one is left out, and they regularly meet online during vacation periods to share updates and cheer up each other.
Shin Young Oh, (Freshman Class of 2020, School of Communication), who served as the team leader in Jiwoohak, said, "At the beginning of the semester, I had many concerns and visited the professor's office, where I tearfully poured out my worries. Even if it's not a case of seeking advice like mine, there are friends who visit the professor every morning just to greet her." Professor Ji Eun Jeong holds her office hours (a time when students can freely visit the professor's office) in a campus café during exam periods, with the intention of treating the students to a sweet beverage as they study for exams.
"They are mentors of our minds. Ah, Ah, thanks for the teachers’ love. The teacher’s grace should be rewarded."
The lyrics of "Teacher's Grace," which used to be sung on Teacher's Day, still hold true at Handong Global University.
