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Here come the Koreans: Introducing the International Winter Youth Program By
Leon D'souza
Host families and Korean students from summer. For more than a century, Utah State University has welcomed students from around the world. With students from more than 80 countries and outreach projects and partnerships that span the globe, USU has consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to diversity. Traditionally, USU's international students have come to campus to earn graduate and undergraduate degrees. Now the Aggies are going a step further. Beginning Jan. 13, 20 junior high school students from Korea, between the ages of 11 and 17, will attend Utah State University for a period of three weeks through Feb. 2 as part of an International Winter Youth Program. The students will learn English and participate in many cultural and recreational activities to explore and experience the American culture. Andrew Hong, programs coordinator in the Office of International Students and Scholars, is the man at the helm of the university's latest foray. Hong organized a similar program last summer with tremendous success. However, the winter program has a distinct flavor. Hong spoke to the Hard News Café Tuesday about the "Winter Cultural Experience" and the long-term impact the program could have on the university's recruitment efforts in Korea. Excerpts. HNC: Tell us about the International Winter Youth Program. How did the idea come about? Well, we organized a program last summer, which was extremely successful. I say successful, because some kids honestly had the experience of a lifetime. They went away teary-eyed, promising to return. We welcomed them, although at the time I hadn't thought about doing another program in the winter. Organizing anything during winter seemed daunting given the snow and the hassle of commuting to Salt Lake City. Anyway, these kids returned to Korea and shared their experiences with friends and family, and the company that sponsored the program. The company, one day, sent me an email in which they expressed interest in a winter program. They said it was definitely worth a try since the summer program was a thumping success. And thus the International Winter Youth Program was born. HNC: What's special about the winter program? In one word, skiing. Let me explain. Skiing, like golf, is a fairly new sport in Korea. Even golf has now been popularized to an extent, but skiing is still in its infancy. There are a couple of reasons for this. First of all, there's not that many ski resorts in Korea, and second, it's terribly expensive. But Koreans like something new and different. Skiing is a new fad. If you can ski, you*re somebody. Hence, we've decided to integrate skiing into the program. For the first two weeks, the students will concentrate on English, and in the last week, all they*ll do is ski. We have teamed up with the Beaver Mountain Ski Resort to facilitate this. HNC: What is the core purpose of such a program? What ultimate goal do you hope to achieve? The purpose is very broad in a way. When I conceived the program, I thought about various ways by which we could link our communities -- Logan and Cache Valley -- with the outside world in a rather intimate and personal way. The youth program is an attempt to do just this. My ultimate goal is to build a truly global village here at USU, one in which the unique competencies and assets of a diverse community are appreciated and leveraged to advantage. In addition, the program is also an opportunity to recruit students in the future by making an impression on them earlier on. We*re putting the university name out there in a much more personal way. HNC: Do you have plans to expand the program? Yes. It is my hope that this program will eventually grow. I want to first build a strong foundation. If the winter cultural experience is successful, I might repackage the program and market it to colleges in Korea as well. We could also look at high school teachers, college professors, and corporate employers. HNC: Tell us about the host family experience. The host family experience is an important component of the program. We want these kids to experience life in an American family. A Utah family experience can be especially rewarding. I am sure the students will come away with something. Lasting friendships can be established. HNC: How many host families participated in the summer program? We had 10 host families. They were superb. For many of them, it was a first-time experience, and they enjoyed it. Already, one of the families has volunteered to assist in the winter program. We are still looking for more participants. HNC: What requirements must a host family meet? A host family will host two students. They must have a bedroom with two beds. The family is responsible for food, housing, and transportation. They will have to transport the students to campus by 8:45 a.m. and pick them up at 5 p.m. every weekday. We will provide financial compensation of up to $500 for two students. Interested families can contact me on 797-0106 or 753-2123, or email Andrews@cc.usu.edu HNC: Something you would like everyone to know . . . I want members of the Cache Valley and USU communities to take this opportunity to participate in a program that could change the lives of a few children from a world apart. The hidden value of this sort of interaction is beyond measure.
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