President of Kookmin University’s
Alumni Association
PARK HAE JIN

Greetings! Dear proud alumni,
You have completed your studies safely and received an advanced degree despite the difficulties of COVID-19, I offer my sincere congratulations. Also, on behalf of all the alumni members, I would like to welcome you into Kookmin Universi- ty’s alumni family.
I want to thank your parents for supporting your studies with their full heart and soul, the professors who have provided tremendous academic assistance and support for your personal development through dedicated research and guidance, and all of the faculty under Kookmin University President Yim Hong-Jae for trying their best to adhere to the academic schedule despite the COVID-19 crisis.
As one who came before you, I am so proud of you for persever- ing and overcoming an environment where face-to-face lectures had to be suspended and experiments and training curtailed over the past year and a half. Even though it will not be easy for you to launch your careers and make progress going forward, I definitely believe that you can be someone who leads the country, society, and the world through the combination of the experience gained by working with your professors on campus and working through the challenges you have had to face.

Dear beloved new alumni!

Today, I’d like us to think again about our community. In the unprecedented disaster of COVID-19, let’s look back on the times dedicated to helping one another. A lot of lives have been overturned and society has come to a stop, but the power of the solidarity used to protect the community has shined. Countless people volunteered to help others by wearing masks and following the quarantine rules to block infection – spreading droplets. Many people volunteered to help those in more difficult situations. This was possible because we all prioritized coexistence rather than pursuing our own interests.

With the value of community and solidarity now rising in importance, the lessons of our school’s founder, Shin Ik-Hee, are all the more touching. Throughout his life, he said, "Good students don't forget to help their country as they read books." Today, you will leave this campus, but I hope you will always keep his lesson in mind. You should always think about the reason for studying and how we can use what we’ve learned here for the development of society.

Also, please keep the alumni community close to your heart. 
When you go out into society, the protective school walls that have surrounded you up until now disappear. I believe that you can withstand the strong winds of the world better by joining alumni rather than standing on your own.

Being part of the alumni community may take some adjusting at first. However, the Alumni Association is making itself ready for you. The Women's Alumni Association was launched last year, and we will soon have a youth group that young alumni can join without any requirements. Also, the Alumni Hall has been recently decorated and is waiting for your visit. 

The Alumni Association is an organization for you and all alumni, and the more of us that participate, the bigger and stronger it becomes. We look forward to your participation so that the Kookmin University Alumni Association can become the best type of alumni association, one everyone can participate in with the aim of making a unifying, active and happy alumni association.

Once again, I sincerely congratulate your graduation and hope we can have a chance to meet in person when the situation improves. On that day, let’s make up for lost time and talk twice as much. I wish you all the best - a future full of growth and happiness – for the graduates, your parents, and everyone from our alma mater.

Thank you.