Sahmyook University is hosting a three-week Korean Language and Culture Program from March 16 to April 4, inviting students from Whispering Pines SDA School in New York, USA.
The university launched this program for the first time in three years since 2023, welcoming 19 participants, including 7th–8th grade students, parents, and teachers. The Greater New York Conference supported the visit and made it possible.
Whispering Pines SDA School, located in Long Island, New York, operates as a private Seventh-day Adventist school offering education from Pre-K through 8th grade.
The school actively teaches Korean as a second foreign language alongside Spanish, requiring all students to attend Korean classes twice a week. It established the Korean program in 2012, and Lee YongGeun, a graduate of Sahmyook University’s Department of Counseling Psychology, currently leads the program while maintaining close ties with his alma mater.
During their stay, students attend structured Korean language classes each morning. In the afternoons, they join Global Korean Studies students for a variety of cultural activities, including K-pop dance, samulnori, and taekwondo. They also take part in hands-on experiences such as making kimbap and janchi-guksu, crafting mother-of-pearl art, creating personal seals, and practicing calligraphy.
After classes and on weekends, the program takes students to explore Korea’s historical and modern landmarks. They visit Gyeongbokgung Palace, the National Museum of Korea, and the War Memorial of Korea, as well as popular sites such as Myeongdong, Namsan Tower, Insadong, Seongsu-dong, and Ttukseom Hangang Park. The itinerary also includes a DMZ tour, Everland, and Lotte World, offering immersive cultural experiences.
Marlanzo Williams, a participating student, said, “I feel excited and grateful to learn the Korean language and culture directly in Korea. I especially enjoyed learning taekwondo and making traditional noodles. I want to memorize more Korean vocabulary and learn more about Korea during the rest of the program. I look forward to what’s ahead.”
Professor Lee SeungYeon, who directs the program, said, “We expect students from New York to grow into globally competent individuals through this program. We also hope our Global Korean Studies students, who serve as teachers and buddies, will develop into professional educators in Korean language and culture.”
In his welcome remarks, Je Haejong, President of Sahmyook University, said, “We warmly welcome the students, parents, and teachers who visited Sahmyook University during this meaningful 120th anniversary year. We hope this program helps them deepen their understanding of the Korean language and culture while building global competence. We look forward to seeing them return to this campus in the future as exchange or international students.”