BA in Global Affairs

Kanghyun Kwon, 2020

Kanghyun Kwon

How did you choose your degree program?

After graduation from high school in 2014, I had three choices: BA in economics, accounting, or global affairs. I chose global affairs because personally, I found issues of global affairs more attractive than anything else. The topics of territorial dispute and hegemonic competition were especially fascinating, because my country, South Korea, must deal with both concerns. Investigating the source of such multilateral skirmishes throughout the history was as intriguing as analyzing their past and present to develop the solution for them. Later I chose the conflict analysis and resolution minor in order to increase my understanding of the conflict dynamics.

How did your academic experiences in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences impact you?

Four years of academic experience in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS) at Mason have helped me transition from a reactive learner to a proactive learner, and from a regional thinker to an international thinker. Not to mention the qualitative improvement in professional writing, I also developed the ability to actively seek topics of interest and choose them for research. In this process of proactive learning, I widened my analytical sight and spectrum of understanding which enabled me to evaluate an incident from regional and international, intra- and intercultural, and de jure and de facto perspectives. Most importantly, such capability to compartmentalize analytical perspectives for different topics—thanks to years of practice and learning in CHSS— amassed the anti-dogmatic and cosmopolitan spirits, both of which are essential qualities of global citizenship.

What accomplishment(s) during your time at Mason are you most proud of?

I am most proud of my academic achievement throughout my time at Mason, which helped me and my family simultaneously. Great academic performance throughout the four years at Mason brought me several nominations for the Dean's List and merit-based scholarships, and eventually to the 2020 Outstanding Student Honoree Award. I am delighted to see my years of effort have been compensated, and even more delighted to make my parents proud of their son.

Are there faculty or staff members who made a difference during your Mason career? Please give an example of this impact if possible.

I would like to personally thank Dr. Roland Wilson, the program coordinator for the Conflict Analysis and Resolution Program at George Mason University Korea, who introduced me to the conflict analysis and resolution minor. Studying the nationalism-based conflicts in East Asia with him was a really inspiring experience, and I learned a lot from him both academically and socially.

I would also thank Dr. Changwoo Ahn for sharing his wonderful and inspirational stories about environmental science and global sustainability. Even though I only had one lecture with him, I could sense his professionalism and enthusiasm, which inspired my interest in eco-science. He was also a great mentor who did not hesitate to encourage his students to find their life goals.

Lastly, I would like to thank every Mason faculty and staff member in Fairfax and South Korea that helped me arrive at this place. Without them, I would have not been able to become who I am right now.

What advice would you give to any incoming first years?

Responsibility is all that I want to emphasize. After knowing what they want to do in the future, they have to earn that future by making responsible decisions.

Quoting from Hunter Rawlings' statement in the Washington Post, "The value of a degree depends more on the student's input than on the college's curriculum." The incoming students' academic experience at a university will be different from high school, because their output at the university is tantamount to their commitment. They have to realize that they must push themselves forward. No matter what they do at the university, whether academic achievement, socialization, or career experience, they are in charge of shaping their lives. This is a cliché statement, but I have chosen to repeat it because it really is how life at the university works.

However, I would also advise them to enjoy the immediate liberty of university life in the first year at school. They have studied hard, so they are allowed to enjoy social activities and time with friends.

I would hope each student can find their best path at the university, so that upon graduation they can walk out of Mason with pride and achievements.

What are your current career plans following graduation? What are your long-term career goals?

I have been accepted to the Juris Doctor program at Bond University (Australia). Ideally, I will start the JD program next year, and seek my career as a solicitor in Australia after completing this program by 2023.