Yuna Kim ’17 (Global Affairs), one of the first George Mason University Korea graduates, is heading for the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies (IHEID) at Geneva in September 2018. This news is indeed dramatic and inspiring for patriot, since she is the first generation of the school. The Voice of GMUK celebrated her achievement and interviewed Kim about her time with Mason Korea and her journey to IHEID.
IHEID is a renowned graduate school in the field of international relations primarily due to its history and location. It is the oldest school of international relations in Europe and was the world’s first university dedicated to the field of international affairs. According to IHEID, “Today, Geneva hosts 30 international organizations, 250 international non-governmental organizations and 172 states represented by a permanent mission.” As the Graduate Institute, Geneva is located in a major international district, it has a close relationship with over one hundred international, non-governmental and private organizations in Geneva. There are numerous opportunities for students from all over the world to experience internships in NGOs and other international organizations.
Kim’s concentration was Global Governance here at Mason Korea. Yet, being the first generation of GMUK had made it hard for her to get necessary support for career development due to the lack of job educational systems. Therefore, she built her job experiences by directly appealing herself and her desires to internship positions at numerous companies and organizations. She also did not miss information that the Professors of Global Affairs provided to the students, and further participated in various international forums which had been held in Songdo. She could move one step closer to her dreams with passion and continuous efforts.
Along with her own efforts, she mentioned, “When I was preparing for the graduate school, I received huge help from professors at Mason Korea.” Her sincerity and continuous trials for her dream moved the professors’ minds positively. Especially, she has been working as a program assistant at GMUK with faculty who gave her essential advice. In addition, with advice and information from the GMUK faculties and staff, she could complete the preparation process successfully. Although Yuna Kim had received some job offers from the companies which she had previously worked at, she decided to pursue her studies at Geneva.
In the interview with The Voice, she described, “GMUK had been a good stepping stone in my life.” During her years at Mason Korea, she had been studying and preparing for her dream in a relatively more infertile and unstable environment than the current students. She believed in her infinite potential and continuously challenged herself. She notes, “Besides feeling envy for the fresh opportunities that present students get, I look forward to meeting Mason Korea students not only in Geneva, but also on the international stage.”
“The most important thing is to find information, use the information from the school actively, try bravely, and challenge directly,” she especially advised to Global Affairs students.
Ha Eun Choi | Reporter
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