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911�� establishes C5I Center Korea: Leading the AI-driven defense transformation

Katarina Benson — Mon, 16 Mar 2026 20:21:45 +0000

911�� establishes C5I Center Korea: Leading the AI-driven defense transformation Katarina Benson Mon, 03/16/2026 - 16:21

New C51 center will spearhead South Korea's defense AI transformation and bolster the Republic of Korea-U.S. tech alliance.

It began in 1989 with a small but ambitious research center founded by Harry L. Van Trees at 911�� in Fairfax, Virginia. A West Point valedictorian and former principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for C3I, Van Trees built what would become one of the most consequential defense research institutions in the United States. More than three decades later, that legacy has crossed the Pacific.

What started as the C3I Center has since evolved into a C5I powerhouse, steering mission-critical research and development (R&D) for the U.S. Department of War and NATO, including NORAD early warning systems and MILSTAR satellite programs. Now, that same expertise is being brought to bear on Korea's emerging command and control architecture.

This March, 911��'s Center of Excellence in Command, Control, Communications, Computing, Cyber and Intelligence (the C5I Center) officially inaugurated the C5I Center Korea at its Songdo campus in Incheon. The expansion is more than a geographical footprint. It is a deliberate strategic alignment between the U.S. and Korea campuses, aimed at driving artificial intelligence (AI) transformation across increasingly volatile and complex modern battlefield environments.

From left, Soyoung Kwon, director of the Industry-University Collaboration Foundation at Mason Korea; Insub Shin, director of C5I Center Korea; Vice Provost Janette Muir; and Dean Joshua Park. Photo provided

Paulo Costa, director of the C5I Center in Fairfax, framed it plainly: "Integrating South Korea's premier IT infrastructure with 911��'s systems engineering expertise creates a transformative synergy, one poised to redefine the future of intelligent defense capabilities."

On the ground in Songdo, the director of C5I Center Korea, Insub Shin, sees the urgency firsthand. Hyper-connected intelligence, he noted, has emerged as the definitive edge in contemporary warfare, a trend underscored by recent global operations.

"C5I Center Korea is currently anchoring a robust collaborative framework across military, industrial, and academic sectors to ensure tactical needs," Shin said. "Furthermore, the center intends to establish a flexible R&D model that recognizes the evaporating boundaries between civil and military applications in AI and cyber technology.”

Janette Muir, 911��’s vice provost for academic affairs, underscored the center's significance. “The C5I Center Korea serves as a cornerstone of the ROK–U.S. defense R&D partnership,” she said. “Expanded technical collaboration with NATO and regional partners supports the university’s vision of Mason Korea as a hub for impactful research and teaching in Asia, and this center positions 911�� at the forefront of next-generation C5I innovation.”

The C5I Center Korea is designed to function as the "core engine" driving the practical implementation of South Korea's Defense AX. Researchers are focusing on AI-integrated command architectures and Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS), where physical assets and digital networks operate as a single, organic entity, ensuring disparate weapon systems achieve peak effectiveness.

By adapting the Fairfax center's proven research milestones, including multisensor data fusion and ontology-based methodologies, for the Korean security environment, the center provides substantial technical backing for major national defense programs.

The impact, however, is not confined to the battlefield. Dual-use R&D initiatives are designed to transfer military innovations, from situational awareness systems to unmanned platform controls, into the civilian sector. This could include smart city disaster management, autonomous drones, and maritime traffic control. Defense research, in this vision, becomes a catalyst for national industrial competitiveness.

To sustain this momentum, C5I Center Korea is investing in the next generation of defense leaders. An executive program tailored for military leadership and defense researchers will leverage 911��'s academic rigor to cultivate the talent essential for South Korea's rise as an AI powerhouse.

Looking ahead, C5I Center Korea will make its international debut at KADEX 2026, anchoring a dedicated Defense C5I·AI Convergence Pavilion alongside a high-level international seminar, and begin propelling domestic information and computer technology and cybersecurity firms onto the global stage.

Topics

Defense and Security

Research

Mason Korea welcomes largest class ever for spring 2026

sholla4 — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 19:11:30 +0000

Mason Korea welcomes largest class ever for spring 2026 sholla4 Wed, 03/04/2026 - 14:11

Mason Korea dean Joshua Park. Photo by Daiyoon Lim/Mason Korea.

"Experiencing the same quality of education as our Virginia campus, right here in Songdo, one of Asia's most international cities—this is the realization of Two Nations, One Mason."

With those words, 911�� Mason Korea campus dean Joshua Park welcomed 272 new students to the Spring 2026 Convocation on February 27. It is the largest incoming class in the campus's history.

Undergraduate enrollment at Mason Korea reached 202 freshmen, joined by 18 new Flex-Master of Laws (Flex-LLM) students. International students numbered 198, a 37% increase since spring 2025, underscoring the campus's growing reputation as a global learning environment.

Photo by Daiyoon Lim/Mason Korea

The ceremony brought together leadership from both sides of the Pacific. Janette Muir, vice provost for academic affairs, a founding member of Mason Korea, and Cheryl Druehl, interim dean of the Costello College of Business, made the trip to Incheon. Incheon Global Campus’s new chairman, Ju-young Byun, also joined the ceremony.

Muir called Mason Korea "a place where the energy of innovation is alive" and urged students not to settle for just a degree. "Use this global education bridging two cultures to expand what you believe is possible," she said.

Photo by Daiyoon Lim/Mason Korea

Park went on to challenge students directly. In an age of geopolitical uncertainty and AI-driven transformation, he said, the skills that matter most are global awareness and intellectual flexibility—the very values, he noted, that are embedded in 911��'s brand, All Together Different.

911�� President Gregory Washington sent his congratulations via video from Fairfax.

Students at Mason Korea follow the same curriculum and earn the same degrees as their Virginia counterparts, spending three years in Incheon and one in Fairfax—a path that has taken graduates to KPMG, Samsung Biologics, the United Nations, and graduate programs at the London School of Economics, Sciences Po, and Johns Hopkins, among others.

Photo by Daiyoon Lim/Mason Korea

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Gregory Washington

Cheryl Druehl

Janette Muir, PhD

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New Student Convocation

Mason Korea partners with defense organizations to advance military technology

Katarina Benson — Mon, 16 Feb 2026 22:15:50 +0000

Mason Korea partners with defense organizations to advance military technology Katarina Benson Mon, 02/16/2026 - 17:15

Mason Korea's Industry–University Collaboration Foundation is taking its defense capabilities to the next level. They recently signed a memorandum of understanding with two major Korean players, the Association of the Republic of Korea Army and the Defense Information and Communication Association. Together, they'll work on developing advanced defense information and communications technology (ICT) and command, control, communications, computing, cyber, and intelligence (C5I) systems.

"Aligned with Korea's national objective of becoming a leading AI power by 2026, this collaboration will leverage the C5I Korea Center's strengths with the operational expertise of the Defense Information and Communication Association and the military practitioners of the Association of the Republic of Korea Army," said Insub Shin, who directs the C5I Korea Center and leads the Defense Information Communication Association.

At the heart of this collaboration is the C5I Korea Center, a local extension of 911��'s C5I Center in Virginia. The center will serve as ground zero for joint research, education, and industry partnerships focused on ICT, cyber capabilities, and artificial intelligence.

Mason Korea signed an MOU with the Association of the Republic of Korea Army and the Defense Information and Communication Association. Photo provided

The partnership's roadmap is packed: collaborative research on C5I systems tailored for Korea, a "C5I-AI Convergence" exhibit at next year's Korea Army International Defense Industry Exhibition, and building bridges between the military, industry, academia, and civilian sectors through professional education programs and workshops.

For Mason Campus Dean Joshua Park, the partnership represents a chance to blend the campus' strengths in data science and AI with real-world defense applications.

"Through practical training and partnerships across military, academic, and industry sectors, we aim to cultivate professionals who can support digital transformation and AI-enabled missions," Park said.

The opening ceremony for the new center will take place during Mason Korea’s spring semester, which begins March 3.

Learn more about Mason Korea

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A new Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship opens in Mason Korea

ckearney — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 17:09:27 +0000

A new Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship opens in Mason Korea ckearney Thu, 11/20/2025 - 12:09

As Korea and the United States deepen their cooperation in technology and entrepreneurship, Mason Korea has opened a Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) in Songdo. This center is the global extension of the center of the same name at the Costello College of Business in Fairfax.

Center director Sungyee Kim talked about the mission of the center and its plan for future programs at the opening. Photo provided

The new center connects two campuses across two continents. Together, they will expand entrepreneurship education; strengthen collaboration among universities, industry, and research institutions; and help Korean start-ups reach global markets.

“The launch of CIE in Korea marks a meaningful step in linking Korea and the United States through a global entrepreneurship platform,” said Joshua Park, campus dean of Mason Korea. “By connecting Songdo with Northern Virginia, we hope to build an innovation network where students, researchers, companies, and institutions can collaborate and grow together.”

The opening ceremony brought together representatives from Fairfax and key partners across the region. David Burge, vice president for enrollment management at 911��, and JK Aier, senior associate dean at Costello, joined leaders from the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority, the Incheon Global Campus Foundation, Seoul National University, Incheon Technopark, Inha University, domestic start-up support teams, and student entrepreneurs.

Sungyee Kim, the new center’s director, talked about the mission of the center and its plan for future programs. “We want to create programs that help students shape their ideas and support companies as they grow beyond Korea,” she said. “By tapping into 911��’s global network, we aim to nurture innovative talent and contribute to a sustainable start-up ecosystem.”

Built as a global hub, CIE Korea will focus on fostering Korea–U.S. entrepreneurial talent, advancing applied research through partnership with industry and research institutions, and supporting Korean start-ups as they explore overseas markets. The center plans to provide education and mentoring, guidance on business models and commercialization, and support in law, compliance, and intellectual property, along with soft-landing and investment-network services for global expansion.

Looking ahead, CIE will strengthen support for entry into the U.S. East Coast through 911��’s Northern Virginia International Soft Landing Accelerator (NISA) and develop a model aligned with Incheon’s specialized industries. It also plans to expand joint research with faculty and regional partners, building what it envisions as a “global entrepreneurship innovation belt” that links Songdo and Northern Virginia.

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Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship

entrepreneurship

A new era of global growth: 911�� and Naugen launch international innovation accelerator

ckearney — Tue, 18 Nov 2025 15:54:56 +0000

A new era of global growth: 911�� and Naugen launch international innovation accelerator ckearney Tue, 11/18/2025 - 10:54

This month, a new Northern Virginia International Soft-Landing Accelerator (NISA) program, designed to help start-ups from around the globe find guidance, connections, and lab or office spaces at no cost, was launched to help develop new technologies in life sciences.

Participants in the six-month program will have access to 911��’s cutting-edge labs. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

Applications are now open for the first NISA cohort. Participants in the six-month program will have access to 911��’s cutting-edge labs, research, and strong business and government network across the region, propelling ideas from lab to market quickly. Selected companies can work from lab or office space at Endeavor234 and Centerfuse while drawing on support from local legal, financial, real estate, and accounting partners to ease their move into the community.

The program is led by 911�� in partnership with Naugen, a global innovation accelerator recognized for helping ventures enter and grow in untapped markets, at its Science and Technology Campus, located in the heart of the new Innovation District, founded by Prince William County, the City of Manassas, and 911��. Naugen and 911�� are collaborating with regional economic development groups and private-sector partners on the initiative.

“Many international start-ups bring outstanding technologies, but they often face challenges with the U.S. investment landscape and limited networks. NISA exists to bridge that gap,” said Jaehan Park, founder and CEO of Naugen. “By combining Naugen’s global expertise with Northern Virginia’s thriving ecosystem, we are building a launchpad where international innovators can put down U.S. roots and scale into true worldwide enterprises.”

NISA is also partnering with Mason Korea to help South Korean founders explore opportunities in the United States. At Mason Korea, the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE), led by the Costello College of Business, introduces early-stage start-ups to the fundamentals of building and testing their ideas through workshops, pitch events, applied projects, and one-on-one guidance. CIE also works with teams that are beginning to look abroad, helping them understand what it takes to reach the U.S. market and linking them with NISA and contacts in Northern Virginia’s start-up ecosystem.

“We meet talented founders every day in South Korea who are eager to take the next step,” said Joshua Park, campus dean of Mason Korea. “CIE pushes them to think more deliberately about their idea, their timing, and the direction they want to take.”

From left, Amy Adams, executive director of the Institute for Biohealth Innovation at 911��; Jaehan Park, founder and CEO of Naugen; and Joshua Park, campus dean of Mason Korea, at the NISA launch. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

“NISA, along with investments in expanding the life science ecosystem and establishing the Innovation District, is helping build a destination for next-generation companies from around the world in Northern Virginia with benefits across the state,” said Christina Winn, executive director of the Prince William County Department of Economic Development and Tourism. “Propelling this sector and bolstering the local entrepreneurial network is creating a vibrant place where industries and communities succeed together.”

Part of NISA’s funding comes from the 911��-managed Innovation District grant, a $3.9 million investment from GO Virginia, a state-funded initiative administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development that strengthens and diversifies Virginia’s economy and fosters the creation of high-wage jobs in strategic industries. Virginia plays a key leadership role as part of the Biohealth Capital Region and is home to the nation’s third-largest biopharma cluster.

“Our goal is not just to attract businesses. We want them to see Manassas as home,” said Patrick Small, economic development director for the City of Manassas. “That means matching founders with the right resources and making sure their employees have access to excellent schools, welcoming neighborhoods, and the amenities that make people want to stay and build their future.”

“NISA participants can take advantage of 911��’s world-class core facilities, including our biocontainment facility and CAP/CLIA-accredited laboratory,” said Amy Adams, executive director of the Innovation District and 911��’s Institute for Biohealth Innovation. “911�� helps innovators shorten the journey from concept to commercialization through pairing these resources with top-tier expertise.”

Topics

Science and Technology Campus

Research

Innovation District

Institute for Biohealth Innovation

entrepreneurship

partnerships

A legacy of resilience: New scholarship helps students persevere to get their degree

sholla4 — Thu, 06 Nov 2025 20:46:17 +0000

A legacy of resilience: New scholarship helps students persevere to get their degree sholla4 Thu, 11/06/2025 - 15:46

“What advice would you give to someone who’s in the process of understanding and knowing their worth?” Amany Bouali asks her mother.

“Everyone one of us has a lot to give and a lot to receive. You are so precious, and you are worth this world and more,” Zeineb replies.

It’s a bittersweet interlude on Amany Bouali’s album Came from Something: Her mother, Zeineb Mrad Bouali, passed away not long after recording. She was a student in 911��’s MA in English program.

Amany (left), Fathi, and Ons hold a photo honoring Zeineb at Ons' graduation from Elon University. Photo provided

Inspired by their mother’s determination, Amany and her sister, Ons, and their father, Fathi, created the Zeineb Mrad Bouali Tenacity and Perseverance Award for students who have had to pause their educational goals and are now hoping to return to complete their degrees.

Zeineb called herself an “avid life wanderer,” her daughters said. A mother, a daughter, an educator, a poet, a cake decorator, and a business owner, Zeineb wore many hats throughout her life. But she had one dream waiting to be fulfilled: completing a master’s degree.

Before immigrating to the United States, Zeineb was an accomplished English teacher in her home country of Tunisia. But like many immigrants, her credentials didn’t transfer upon her arrival in the U.S.

“Part of my mom’s struggle in this country was all the barriers that are in place for immigrants to start a business, go back to school, resume where they were in their country,” explained Ons. “She had to start her college education from scratch.”

Throughout her life she tried returning to school to be reaccredited, periodically taking classes at University of Texas at San Antonio, 911��, and Northern Virginia Community College. Life just kept getting in the way of a formal degree program.

But Zeineb cared deeply about her daughters’ education. “Her whole life's dream was watching us succeed. When we went on college tours and got acceptances, she was so excited,” said Ons. “She was beside herself with happiness when the acceptance letters came in.”

“That was her moment,” agreed Amany. “It meant so much more to her than it could have ever meant to me.”

Zeineb in from of the Department of English offices. Photo provided

And it was her daughters who encouraged Zeineb to try for her master’s degree one more time. “Our mom put her whole life on hold to make sure we could achieve our dreams,” said Ons. “And once we were older, we told her that it was time for her to go after her dreams.”

With support from then-graduate admissions coordinator of the Department of English Holly Mason Badra, Zeineb applied and was accepted into the MA in English program in 2021, where she planned to pursue a concentration in literature. She passed unexpectedly from complications due to a rare autoimmune disease in September 2022. This is the inaugural year for the scholarship honoring her legacy.

“I hope my mom’s story inspires the recipients to be resilient and to find a way to achieve their dream no matter the obstacles, even if it doesn't look exactly like they planned,” said Ons. “I want them to think, ‘what would Zeineb do?’”

“We want the scholarship to give people from diverse backgrounds who have these additional challenges they’re facing a bit of additional support and kind of ease that burden from them, so they can persevere like our mom did,” said Amany.

This year’s inaugural awardees honor Zeineb’s legacy through their determination to achieve their dreams despite major setbacks.

Hyerin Cha

Major: Global affairs

Photo provided

When Hyerin Cha was a child, she and her family were displaced from their home in South Korea after a major tragedy. Rebuilding from those early hardships shaped her deep commitment to education and community service. “I’m always trying to learn something” she said. “Because of the lack of resources around me, I had to teach myself.”

Driven by curiosity and compassion, Cha grew into an active advocate for equitable education. She has served as a STEM and coding mentor for underprivileged children, an NGO strategy coordinator, and a volunteer leader in community development initiatives both in Korea and abroad. “Giving back through education became my way of honoring the help I once needed,” she said.

Knowing early on that she wanted to work in policymaking, Cha chose Mason Korea for its global connections and focus on international governance. Balancing her studies with part-time jobs to fund her education, she continued to excel academically and serve her community.

As a Mason Korea student, she was required to complete a year at the Fairfax Campus, but her student visa limited her ability to work. The Zeineb Mrad Bouali Tenacity and Perseverance Award provided crucial support, allowing her to continue her studies and complete her degree.

“This scholarship didn’t just relieve a financial burden, it reaffirmed my belief that perseverance and purpose matter,” she said. “It reminded me that I’m on the right path, and that I can keep going.”

Andrea Delgado Portillo

Major: Criminology, law and society

Photo provided

Andrea Delgado Portillo and her family immigrated to the United States in 2017. Despite being approved for a green card and completing her high school education in Virginia, Delgado Portillo did not qualify for in-state tuition and was ineligible for federal financial aid.

After graduating from high school in 2020, she completed three semesters at Northern Virginia Community College, paying out-of-state tuition. Already facing financial strain, she was forced to pause her education when her mother was diagnosed with cancer in 2022.

“My primary focus shifted to providing for her both financially and emotionally, and after my money ran out, going back to school was out of the question,” she said.

But Delgado Portillo, a first-generation high school graduate, had dreams of studying criminology and law and being the first in her family to get a college degree. “My community doesn't have a lot of representation in law enforcement,” she said. “When my mom went through a domestic violence incident, she didn’t have anyone to translate for her. I want to be able to help people like that in my community.”

While supporting her mother through treatments, she saved money whenever she could in the hopes of returning to college. After a two-year gap, she applied to 911�� to finish her degree.

“[911��’s] financial aid office helped me be accepted for in-state tuition and showed me where to apply for scholarships,” she said. The Zeineb Mrad Bouali Tenacity and Perseverance Award was one of her awarded scholarships.

“With the scholarship I was able to pay for books, parking, and part of my tuition,” she said. “I hope one day I can pay their generosity back, maybe through supporting another immigrant student who, like me, had a dream they were struggling to achieve.”

Delgado Portillo plans to graduate in Spring 2026.

“When I came here [to the United States], I knew nothing, not even how to say, ‘how are you?’” she said. “Now, I’m going to graduate from college. Hopefully, my mom is going to see me walk across the stage.”

Zeineb Mrad Bouali: A remembrance, a celebration, a legacy

Topics

College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Mason Korea launches Center for Korean Culture and Society

Katarina Benson — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 16:03:46 +0000

Mason Korea launches Center for Korean Culture and Society Katarina Benson Mon, 11/03/2025 - 11:03

With the global rise of Korean culture—from K-pop and film to food and language—911��’s Mason Korea campus recently launched the Center for Korean Culture and Society (CKCS), its first independently operating research center.

The center will lead interdisciplinary research and education in media content, K-pop, gaming, sports, and tourism. Planned initiatives include hosting international conferences, training cultural industry professionals, fostering industry–academic partnerships, and offering Korean language and culture programs for global learners.

Students groups performed at the ceremony. Photo provided

“As a global campus that values both scholarship and practice, Mason Korea seeks to build a platform where K-culture can be shared and co-created with the world,” Joshua Park, campus dean of Mason Korea, said at the center’s opening ceremony at the Incheon Global Campus Small Theater. “Through strong partnerships with students, faculty, businesses, and cultural institutions, Mason Korea will continue to serve as a trusted global education bridge.”

The center launch aligns with Korea’s national strategy to position itself as a global leader in K-content. Leveraging Incheon’s international gateway and collaboration with the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority (IFEZ)’s K-Con LAND project, Mason Korea aims to become a key bridge connecting Korea and the world.

Gyu Tag Lee, professor of global affairs and inaugural director of the center, and a leading expert on K-pop and popular music, presented the center’s vision. “We envision this center as more than a space for research,” he said. “It will be a meeting point for people from around the world to create, share, and learn from K-content.”

A panel discussion followed, centered on the book Exploring Hallyu: History and Theory, co-authored by Lee and fellow scholars.

Guy Tag Lee will direct the new center. Photo provided

The event brought together representatives from major cultural and educational institutions, including the Seoul Foundation of Culture, Hunminjeongeum Globalization Foundation, Incheon Global Campus Foundation, American Korean Businessmen Friendship Forum, Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange, the World Olympic Taekwondo Federation, Incheon National University, and South Korean educational public radio and television network EBS, with support from Incheon Metropolitan City and the Incheon Citizens’ Life College.

The ceremony also featured a congratulatory video from Incheon mayor Yoo Jeong-bok, and remarks from Yun Wonsok, commissioner of IFEZ.

Discover Mason Korea

Mason Korea students create camp that brings together students from seven nations

Katarina Benson — Wed, 15 Oct 2025 21:32:01 +0000

Mason Korea students create camp that brings together students from seven nations Katarina Benson Wed, 10/15/2025 - 17:32

Eleven Mason Korea students stepped into a mentorship role this summer at the 2025 Incheon–ASEAN Global Youth Camp. Serving as more than mentors, the students became cultural bridges in a historic international initiative described by organizers as a “first step” toward lasting educational cooperation.

The camp was organized by the Incheon Metropolitan City Office of Education and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) education offices and was led by Mason Korea professor Hyunyoung Cho and the student team.  

Mason Korea student mentors at the camp's closing ceremony. Photo provided

The camp brought together high school students from seven ASEAN nations and seven Incheon high schools for five days of collaborative problem-solving centered on the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Instead of simply visiting landmarks, participants worked in small international teams to learn about specific goals, researched their impact on their home countries, and presented creative, practical solutions.

Supporting them at every stage were the Mason Korea student mentors: Yibin Cho, Kippeum Joy Choi, Jungbin Eom, Jisu Kim, Minsoo Kim, Hyeyeon Kweon, Chaeyoung Moon, Jessmine Huynh Nguyen, Jinuk Seo, Hojae Song, and Jinhyeop Pyo.

The success of the camp lay in its balance of structured learning and student-led collaboration. The Mason Korea mentors guided discussions, facilitated group work, and ensured that every participant was heard. They also prepared key materials in advance, including a bilingual workbook that helped bridge cultural and linguistic gaps. The result was a space where students could genuinely learn from one another, rather than simply observe.

Moon also documented the camp in photos and video, and later contributed to producing a film that captured both the learning and the friendships formed during the week.

Officials from both Korea and ASEAN praised the 911�� mentors for their adaptability and empathy. Organizers also noted that the mentors created an environment where every participant felt heard and respected, a factor they said made the camp truly meaningful.

“This is not just about cultural awareness,” Cho said. “It is about giving young people the confidence and skills to engage with the world, and our Mason Korea students helped make that happen.”

Learn more about Mason Korea

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Summer Camps

Mason Korea students take the lead in New York high school exchange program

ckearney — Wed, 17 Sep 2025 20:18:43 +0000

Mason Korea students take the lead in New York high school exchange program ckearney Wed, 09/17/2025 - 16:18

911�� Korea played a crucial role in connecting students from different cultures across language barriers over a seven-day Incheon–New York High School Exchange Program in July.

Students working on silver rings at the Korea Jewelry High School. Photo provided

Education authorities from Incheon and New York have collaborated on a brand-new exchange in which students from the two cities shared classrooms and experiences while acknowledging the language and cultural barriers in between.

The 911�� lead on the project—Hyunyoung Cho, a professor of English in Mason Korea—noted how ambitious the project was. “Last year, when the two cities’ authorities first met, we had no specific plan on how to implement this grand project,” she said. “However, with the effort of so many officials and schools, this became a reality and a truly historic starting point for more exchanges to follow.”

The students from New York were given the chance to mix into the daily learning environment of Incheon students. Incheon Popular Arts High School welcomed the delegation with workshops in practical music, performing arts, and media production. Students collaborated on music, dancing, and acting performances, learning how artistic expression can transcend language barriers.

Incheon International High School also provided a platform for globally focused, project-based learning, where the students engaged in discussions on cultural perspectives and future careers in an increasingly interconnected world.

Photo provided

Korea Jewelry High School offered hands-on craft training and the New York students learned silver ring-making techniques and reflected on the craftsmanship behind vocational artistry.

These experiences allowed both Korean and American students to compare educational methods, share aspirations, and explore different approaches to education.

Five Mason Korea students—Chaeyoung Moon, Cheho Moon, Jisu Kim, Jungbin Eom, and Minsoo Kim—assisted Cho in planning and running the program. The Mason Korea students served as mentors and helped introduce the group to the new environments including classrooms, historic sites, and popular streets while drawing on what they learned in ENGH 300 Literature for the Public and Cross-cultural Communication.

Yoon-oh Noh, research officer at the Incheon East Asia Global Education Institute, said the mentors made this program especially distinctive. The student mentors functioned as primary cultural guides and instructional supports—making implicit rules explicit, framing activities so that both sides could contribute, and linking daily experiences back to the program’s goals.

Beyond their in-program facilitation, the mentors’ work spanned the entire lifecycle of the exchange from pre-program planning and advance site visits to creating a workbook and post-program deliverables, including a report and a film documenting the week.

Throughout the seven days, the students from New York recorded and shared their insights in the program workbook and through presentations and videos. They said that they were able to overcome language barriers with the active support of mentors and buddy students, and they experienced more than textbooks could convey. They also discussed how this event changed their mindsets.

Many of the New York students remarked that becoming friends with Korean students was their best experience in Korea. “He is my Chingu, he is my best Chingu,” one of the students said, after learning the word “friend” in Korean from a mentor.

For many New York students, the mentors were their most consistent Korean counterparts.

With plans to continue and expand the partnership, the Incheon Metropolitan Office of Education and the New York City Department of Education reaffirmed their commitment to equipping students with both academic learning and intercultural competence to thrive as global citizens.

Learn more about Mason Korea

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