The executive team of the new Yonsei GSIS GSA 

By: Fatima Zahra Koraiban 
Editor, Yonsei GSIS Newsletter

Meet the newly appointed team of the GSA at Yonsei GSIS. President Kuan Ling Lai (Michael) from Taiwan is heading the team this semester, a 3rd-semester student majoring in PIC. Vice President Frederique Veen from The Netherlands is assisting him. She is in her 4th semester of pursuing an ITFM major, along with Vice President Bastiaan Seovin Flikweert, a KSP major in his 3rd semester, and she is originally from The Netherlands. Please warmly welcome this team as they start their mission to enhance our student community! 

-Can you please introduce yourself? 

-Hi everyone! We are team “Spark”, an executive team ready to make this semester your success! Together with three executive team members, we have transformed GSA into an organization with eight managers and 15 committee members working in tandem on six committees! 

-What are your objectives for this semester? 

-This semester, our primary goal is to create a sustainable foundation for GSA to continue fostering a community for all GSIS students and promoting cultural exchange among the five majors within GSIS. As the student body of GSIS has grown significantly over the past few years, it was time to move forward with the GSA and adapt to accommodate the changing composition of the student body we hope to represent and support.

-Can you share details about the social events you have planned for this semester? 

-So far, we have organized a new style of campus tour and a speed-friend-making event to welcome the new students to our university and show what it has to offer. The campus tour was scheduled right before the semester started, allowing incoming students to familiarize themselves with the campus and meet their future classmates early in time for when actual classes start. We also just hosted the first-ever GSIS Cheer Practice, keeping our campaign promise to help integrate students into the broader Yonsei community. 

Upcoming is the MT on the April 6th and 7th. It will be a 2-day-1-night getaway with fun games, delicious food, and unforgettable bonding moments. There will be a Cherry Blossom Tour in collaboration with the Korean Studies Council on March 31st, just in time for the season, and an inter-GSIS picnic scheduled together with the SNU GSIS and KU GSIS on April 13th. So keep your eyes open for the signup, as spots fill up quickly!

-How will the new GSA team support the professional development of GSIS students this semester (workshops, seminars, etc.)? 

-As in the previous semester, we will host a TOPIK workshop in collaboration with the Korean Studies Council. We are also planning an English workshop for the GCC (Chinese program) students to support them with their language exams. 

-Are any collaborations or partnerships with other student organizations on campus planned for this semester? 

-GSA is currently in contact with almost all student councils of other major GSIS schools in Seoul, intending to revive the Seoul GSIS Union, which had its last year of operation in 2018. This will give students a platform to reach outside our school’s boundaries and broaden their experiences in Seoul. 

Within Yonsei GSIS, we continuously work with other organizations and students to deliver the best events. We have already planned a few events with the KSC and are looking forward to collaborating with other student organizations. We also hope to support the revival of GSIS sports clubs, which have ceased to operate due to the pandemic, such as football, basketball, badminton, volleyball, and table tennis.