Kim Hyunji (College of Liberal Studies) & Kim Hansol (School of Dentistry)

Many students in SNU willingly give up their weekends and holidays to participate in social service. One might wonder what motivates them. To find out, we met with two students actively engaged in social service activities.

Kim Hyunji (College of Liberal Studies) has participated in SNU’s Global Volunteers Project in Vietnam three times since she entered college in 2018. As a member of Volunteering Engineers and Scientists of SNU (VESS), a student organization which focuses on appropriate technology, she used her understanding of technology to help construct water purifiers at schools in Vietnam in need of clean drinking water. “We went there over three consecutive semester breaks to check how they are working and correct any mistakes we might have made,” Kim explains. “Since we had to do everything by ourselves -- planning, sourcing necessary materials, contacting local schools -- we spent a lot of time in Vietnam even before the actual two-week project. I always think to myself that this project would be my last, but I find myself going back every time.” She says that the diverse cultural experience and long-lasting friendships she has gained through volunteering give her the strength to not only continue with this project but also engage in other challenging endeavors in life.

For Kim Hansol (School of Dentistry), participating in social service activities has shaped her lifestyle, leading her to constantly reflect on the social impact of her day-to-day decisions. She has participated in various projects such as organizing “I Can Hear Your Voice”, an inclusive, “barrier-free” musical that includes the participation of blind cast members. She has also taken part in SNU’s Global Volunteers Project in Vietnam and Uzbekistan. “It has been a pleasure to meet people with similar interests. It made me think about how to incorporate the values I’ve learned from volunteering into my daily life.”

Source: SNU People
Written by Chae Hyun Kim, SNU English Editor, michelle25@snu.ac.kr
Reviewed by Professor Travis Smith, Department of Asian Languages and Civilizations, tlsmith@snu.ac.kr