My wife Shin Hyung graduated from Ewha College of Home Economics in 1949. She continued her education and earned her B.A. at Adelphi College in 1952. In 1954, she earned her Master’s Degree in Social Works at the University of Illinois. I earned my medical degree from the University of Minnesota. I met her in 1952 at a Korean Methodist Church in Chicaco, and married her two years after. Shin Hyung has been an active member of YWCA, and it was she who introduced Dr. Betty Mitchell, the first president of International Foundation for Ewha W. University, to Dr. Helen Kim when she visited Chicago and gave a speech at YWCA in 1967.  At that time, Dr. Helen Kim was making efforts to raise funds for Ewha and formed Ewha W. University Decade Development Committee consisting of prominent Americans, Ewha graduates, and spouses of Ewha graduates. Decade Development Committee became the cornerstone of International Foundation. Dr. Helen Kim asked me and Shin Hyung to join her efforts in helping Ewha. When the Foundation was established, I served as a board member in its early years (1973-1976), following her words. Due to the limitations at my job, I could not attend the yearly board meetings so my wife Shin Hyung subsequently served the Foundation from 1977 to 1996 until her last days.

Shin Hyung had always been a very giving person. She wanted to help Ewha and the needy students there. She and I established a scholarship fund in 1984 and have added annual gifts to it. After she passed away, I continued to help students at Ewha. Professor Mi Hae Kim at Department of Social Works in Ewha once was a patient of mine. While I talked with her, I was informed that there have not been sufficient resources at Department of Social Works to encourage its needy students to study and do their researches further. After discussing with my daughter Diann, who is a lawyer, I decided to include Ewha Foundation in my will. This scholarship is for students writing research papers reflecting innovation in the fields of medicine, theology, social works and/or public policy, honoring my late wife, who, as a Christian social worker, devoted herself to preserving and honoring human rights and social justice. 

I first met Dr. Kim Okgill when she was in the United States promoting the IFEWU. At that meeting, she invited me to teach at Ewha in the Sociology department Graduate school. She explained that her vision was to create a community of international friends for Ewha Womans University through the Foundation. I have always remembered that she saw the Foundation as more than a fundraiser. She wanted the Foundation to help Ewha connect to international friends who would help it grow and flourish in many ways.

As I am not a Ewha graduate, many people ask me that question. My relationship to Ewha is very emotional and strong because of my experience during 4 years of teaching. My colleagues were teachers like Dr. Suh Kwang-Sun and Dr. Lee Hyo Choi. These were remarkable, courageous human rights leaders during a time when free thought and basic liberties were denied to the university. When you live through such experiences with brave friends, you keep them–and the school–in your heart for a long time. 

I don’t know how much will be left in my will. But I have allocated a percentage of my charitable giving for Ewha. It may be symbolic–or–it may be substantial. I don’t think that matters as much as my final gesture leaving this world. I would like to contribute to making Ewha a strong educational force for the future. Who knows where it will lead the country. 

I was born in Pyongyang. Probably one of the nicest ties I had with Dr. Kim OkGill were the wonderful North Korean meals she served to both kings and paupers consisting of a standard menu-kalbe, “chi chim” pancakes, and “Naeng-myun” noodles. Although I was raised in Michigan (my parents taught music at Michigan State University), Korean food remains my first choice for breakfast, lunch or dinner. As for the story of my life beyond what I love to eat–it is summed up in what I do for a living: “I work for the UN and sometimes I get paid.” After teaching, I joined Unicef and WHO. With a PhD in anthropology, it seemed a good fit to work with every culture in the world. Song PokSyn, my aunt, always told me that an education was a privilege and that I had an obligation to “give back” and use it for a useful purpose. 

Rick and I met in Korea when he was the Asia Editor for Newsweek, writing a cover story about the  Korean economy. It was entitled “The Koreans are Coming.” Little did he know at that time that he would also be coming to Korea quite often in the future. I was teaching at Ewha at the time so he became well acquainted with Dr. Kim Okgill, Dr. Kim HoSoon (whom he adored), and other friends. That personal connection is an important reason he supports the school, but he also is a strong believer in the power of education to transform societies, economies and women’s leadership. I’m lucky that he also shares my educational philosophy. We contributed a small room to the ECC building in our daughter’s name so that Song-Mee would also have a connection to Ewha and its mission.