In order to empower students to flourish into productive and well-adjusted members of society, Seoul National University’s Center for Campus Life and Culture offers the two following programs: the Campus Mentoring Program (CMP) and the School-Life Mentoring Program (SMP). CMP is an on-campus program that connects freshmen at SNU with returning students in a mentor-and-mentee relationship. The goal is to help freshmen adjust to the new and chaotic world of university life, with mentors providing necessary insights and support to their mentees. Similarly, SMP is a mentoring program aimed at international freshmen, who may receive additional support in adapting to life in Korea, learning the Korean language, and succeeding in their university endeavors.
The Center for Campus Life and Culture located on the 5th floor of the Student Center (Building 63)
A Guide for Freshmen Unfamiliar with University Life
CMP and SMP have been running for the past thirteen years. One mentor is matched with two mentees each semester, and group mentoring sessions of around fifteen people are also conducted. Mentors exercise much creativity in planning and executing informative sessions, including a comprehensive introduction to university majors and buildings, a step-by-step guide to using campus facilities, and a tour of the SNU neighborhood. Through these various experiences, mentees are better informed on resources available to them on and off campus. In addition, mentors may also foster their leadership skills through their participation in the programs.
The rate of student participation and satisfaction is extraordinarily high for both CMP and SMP. According to the Center, the completion rate for the programs reached 93% during the spring semester of 2023 and was given an average rating of 4.8 out of 5 in satisfaction. During the following fall semester, CMP and SMP continued to receive positive reviews, with a recorded completion rate of 89% and an average satisfaction rating of 4.7. Eom Yu Bin (Department of English Language Education), a mentee of the CMP program, stated that “thanks to CMP, I [she] was able to forge many valuable connections with fellow students and had a great time overall.”
Creating Cherished Memories and Building a Foundation for Success
Mentee Eom Yu Bin reflected that the conversations and laughter she shared with her mentor have become cherished memories. Beyond the emotional nourishment, she experienced personal growth through listening to the wisdom and life advice of the seniors she met through CMP. Mentor Park Dong Jae (Department of Architecture and Architectural Engineering) also stated that the programs help one aptly foster deep and diverse relationships, which is an essential life skill.
CMP individual mentoring activities
Group mentoring, in particular, provides opportunities for people from diverse backgrounds to interact, broadening the horizons for both mentors and mentees. Students of various majors swap life stories and share their individual experiences at university. Mentee Cha Won Ho (School of Transdisciplinary Innovations) singled out the group excursion to Banpo Hangang Park as the most memorable. Not having lived in Seoul before, Cha stated that he had always dreamed of hanging out at the Park with friends. What made the experience for Cha were “the simple pleasures of venturing about, conversing with newly made friends, and seeing the Moonlight Rainbow Fountain.” Mentor Kim Ji Hyun also agreed that the field trip to Banpo Hangang Park was a particularly noteworthy one. Kim reflected that the excursion helped her establish more personal relations with the mentees and was a nice opportunity for mentors to also learn from the freshmen. Kim added that CMP’s provision of funds for such group activities eliminates any potential financial burden on students and recommended students who would like to make new friends or rejuvenate their academic lives take part in the program.
Introduction to the mentoring programs
The Center for Campus Life and Culture expressed its vision of incorporating the latest theories and models in psychology, academic counseling, and social welfare into its programs. In other words, its goal is to leverage the strengths of a research-centered university and apply academic research to real-life situations. “I believe that CMP and SMP provide something of great value, and the Center will work hard to ensure that the programs remain sustainable and continue to be developed further,” said Assistant Professor Han Kwanghyun of the Center for Campus Life and Culture.
Student Reporter
SONGBAE JEON (Department of Nursing), thrxprcs@snu.ac.kr
Translated by by Hee Seo Lee, SNU English Editor, heeseolee@snu.ac.kr