President's Speech

Lincoln - KOICA 7 batch class president

Good morning everyone

On behalf of the KOICA 7th Batch class of 2018, I would like to first and foremost thank the Almighty God for the far He has brought us, and to also thank all the people who made this program a success. To the university administration, led by the president of Handong Global University, for the wisdom you bring, and the vision that you layout for Handong Global University, we thank you. To our professors, who give your all, each and every day, laboring to provide us with tremendous education, and pushing us to do our best, even on the days we don’t want to learn, all the while taking the extra time to build relationships with us, that for some, will last a lifetime, we thank you. To the Graduate school of Global Development and Entrepreneurship staff, who work tirelessly, coordinating us and our events, while selflessly supporting us in every possible way, we thank you, and may God bless you all.

And to us graduates, we made it! Not by our might, but by the power of God. As a group, we indeed started from the very bottom. Think about how far we have come, individually and as a class. Looking back to our first semester, it seems like it was just yesterday. There was the first class, the first football game, the first kimchi, the second kimchi, the third kimchi, the figuring out that it was actually delicious. 

Yeah! Our 17 months at Handong Global University were no walk in the park.  We were presented with many challenges that we had to overcome. I cannot even begin to imagine how many families were torn apart because of deadlines. Things may not always go the way you planned, but I know we can all agree that this class is resilient. We survived numerous typhoons and a minor earthquake. The fact that we made it here, is just a testimony to our perseverance, commitment to excellence, and above all the grace of God. 

KOICA 7 Batch

My dear colleagues, we are all destined for greatness. Each and every one of us has the potential to change the world, and Handong Global University has given us the mantle. Handong has changed us and bestowed us with the huge responsibility of changing the world. But as you know, in order to change the world, we have to change our families first, change our communities, and then change our countries, and through this, our continents and the world at large will be changed. We have all grown into powerful, intellectual individuals who will make a massive footprint on this earth. 

Tables turn, bridges burn, you live and learn and oftentimes, it’s the journey that teaches you a lot about your destination. So, as we part ways, equipped with priceless knowledge, we are embarking on a mission to change the world. Colleagues lets strive to be the best version of ourselves, let's fly through the turbulence, and let’s live an exemplary life because we are victors. Be phenomenal or you’ll be forgotten! Congratulations class of 2018. God bless you all! Gamsahamnidaa!