Yorgun Marcel is a valuable member of our university who has brought tremendous change with his years of experience as an Associate Dean for University Life, director for international student affairs, and managing director at the College of Wooster.
The Voice of Mason Korea recently spoke with Dean Marcel regarding his journey as one of the pioneering leaders of our university. He shares with us a variety of topics, including his past experiences, memorable memories, challenges as a dean, and his vision for our university.
Photo credit: Mason Korea
What made you pursue your career as a dean?
That’s an interesting question because I don’t think I ever tried to start a career as a dean. But I know the exact moment when I got involved in higher education. This was the first day of classes, and I was sitting on a bench when a woman in her 30s was on the phone with her husband. She was crying and went on to tell her husband how her class got canceled due to a lack of funds, an administrative mistake made by the university, and how this messed up her entire graduation timeline. I went into the student union office and found that 30 classes had been canceled. Turns out, an administrator had mismanaged the funds, and there was a shortfall. So, I thought, what could I do to speak up for this student? Later on, I joined the student government and found buried policies that helped international students financially, especially during times of financial crisis. I guess that’s when my higher education career started, so I realized that this is what I was good at.
Caption: Dean Marcel and members of The Voice
Photo credit: The Voice
Which skillsets are needed to perform successfully as a dean?
I think you need empathy, and you need to be calm because sometimes you deal with situations that are life or death. You need to think quickly and quickly and know what needs to happen on a tight timetable. You have to be patient. You have to allow people time to get to the person they will be, and mistakes will be made. Seeing beyond the moment, looking at the long term, and understanding that we hold the future of the students we have been entrusted with.
If you were not in higher education, what career path would you have chosen alternatively?
It might be entertainment because I majored in television and film and minored in audio recording and music. My other plans, which I haven’t given up on, were to do my own record label or to write scripts, so I’m constantly doodling ideas or typing up ideas for movies, and so maybe if I retire, I might make a movie about my experiences in Korea.
How did you end up in Mason Korea?
I had been at the past university for five years, and it was time to look for something new. I felt professionally ready for the next level. I had no plans to leave, but if the right opportunity comes along, I would definitely consider it. Interestingly enough, my wife had gotten into K-dramas for the past two years before we left the US. I would come home from work, and all I could hear on TV was Korean, so I began watching with her. Later on, I stumbled upon this job, and I needed the challenge of doing some stuff at a young university, and it was in Korea. So why not?
What are your thoughts on the dynamics and synergy between faculty and students at GMUK?
I think it’s getting better. But it can be ten times more, and I want to put more responsibility on the students here. I ask the students why they choose to come to Mason Korea. Why is this different from other Korean universities? So then, why are you behaving like you’re at a Korean university? That’s the problem. Nobody in this building expects students to have a perfect accent, to know what every word means, and not to stumble over any dialogue. Our students are too reserved because the language inhibits them, and also, this model of you doesn’t question or engage with the professor. More and more students are trying to engage and step out of the box, but we still need every student to be that way. We need every one of our students to be like, “You know what? I’m paying ten thousand dollars for this. I’m going to get every penny of it.” It’s like going to Starbucks, paying for a cup of coffee and a donut, then grabbing the coffee and leaving it on the counter. You’re leaving stuff on the table when you do not engage with your professors. Engage with these people because there are a million things that you’ll learn, making you stronger and getting you to your goals.
If there was anything you could change for the betterment of our university, what would it be?
Owning our own housing. I’m not just saying that because of the complication of working with them but rather creating an environment, a community that can grow the Mason identity. If we’re living and working together, that will take us up to another level.
When you initially came to GMUK, what was your vision for our university? Could you say you were successful in accomplishing this?
Initially, I didn’t have a vision for the university because the university was only three or four years old when I joined. The vision that I had was more for the students. We wanted to create an environment as close as possible to the experience of our main campus in the areas that matter. I also wanted to ensure that our students got the value of their education back along with Career Development Center so that students can get good internships. Have I accomplished this? The answer would be "Yes and no." We’ve done tremendous work, and I didn’t do this alone.
What was your most memorable experience here at Mason Korea?
It is probably our first graduation, a few months after I arrived at Mason Korea. It was the most memorable because it is interesting to think about the first-ever graduation ceremony here cemented the notion that this institution was a baby; meanwhile, I have worked in higher education for so long. Yet, at the same time, there was so much that happened, and to imagine ten, twenty, or fifty years from now what this institution can become.
Dean Marcel’s determination, commitment, and undoubtedly competence in higher education for the students and our university’s future helped grow us into a more fruitful and spirited body. On behalf of The Voice and all of George Mason University Korea, we thank you for your years of dedication and wish you the best of luck for you and your family!
Written by Daemo Gou | Staff Writer
Revised by Yoonhye Cho | Managing Editor
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