With spring still in the air, the YSB’s entering freshmen and a committed group of alumni kicked off the ninth year of a program in which an alumnus is paired with a freshman as his or her mentor in adjusting to and succeeding in collegiate life while also preparing for a later career.

 The mentoring program began in 2008 and involves alumni from various fields of society and business working with their designated freshmen mentees. As has become a tradition, each freshman received as a class gift a copy of the book Originals as he or she entered the Main Hall. Woohyun Nam (Entering class of 2016, Business) said he was grateful for the book, ”because the mentoring program itself felt like a gift, and it will surely guide me through my college life.”

 Dean Donghoon Kim of the Yonsei School of Business welcomed the students and returning alumni to the YSB. Everyone enjoyed a quiz show hosted by BizYON, the honorary ambassador of Yonsei School of Business, that was also effective in promoting the unity of classes.

 In the second part of the ceremony, popular broadcaster Sangjin Oh (Entering class of 1998, Business) declared the program open to the approximately 600 students from the School of Business and College of Commerce and Economics. Then the alumni followed the student flag guard onto the stage, making a total, with the professors, of about 200 people that the freshmen could see committed to their success.

 Both students and alumni were eager to meet Alumni Association President Kyungbae Suh (Entering class of 1981, Business). He told them, “You are all noble beings. If you find what you want to do and what you are good at in the bosom of Yonsei, you will make a successful college life. For this, you will have to attend many good lectures as well as read books and always question yourself.”

 After the spoke, the mentors met with their assigned mentees and together sang the Akaraka to close the ceremony. The festive, but also solemn, mood in the hall reached its peak when everybody sang in one voice, “I love you, Yonsei.” The mood lingered as everybody moved to a nearby restaurant, GuhGooJang, for dinner.   Freshman Minseong Seo (Entering class of 2016, Business) commented, “My love toward Yonsei grew even more to see so many alumni participating actively and telling their stories. After I graduate, I would love to participate as a mentor.”

 Sungjoo Jeong (Entering class of 2015, Business) praised the mentoring program in observing, “I am proud to have participated in a program that was most meaningful to me when I was a freshman. I was able to organize my college life well, thanks to my mentors, and I hope the juniors learn the same.”