Handong Global University Celebrates International Graduates Heading to the World

Ceremony honors 14 graduates from 10 countries; university's international campus hosts 270 students from 60 nations

POHANG, Republic of Korea — Handong Global University (HGU) held a spring semester graduation ceremony for its international students on June 17 at the Grace Chapel of the Kim Young-gil Grace School. Organized by the Office of International Affairs (OIA) and hosted by Professor Bryan Nicholas Alkema, the ceremony — held separately from the university's official commencement — marked the academic achievements of students who traveled far from home to study in Korea.

A total of 14 graduates — 13 undergraduates and one graduate student — from ten countries received their degrees: Burundi, Germany, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Laos, Mongolia, Nepal, the Philippines, and the United States. The graduates will return to their home countries or pursue new paths across Korea and beyond.

HGU President Park Seong-jin delivered the commencement address, personally recognizing each graduate's achievement. "I am genuinely proud of every one of you for reaching this important milestone through years of effort, perseverance, and resolve," he said. "The degree you receive today is a testament to the journey in which you overcame hardship and grew — and it carries the profound meaning of having walked the path that Jesus walked."

President Park offered particular encouragement to graduates who had chosen to study far from home. "Years ago, you took a step of faith, leaving behind your hometown, your family, and everything familiar," he said. "There were surely moments of loneliness and difficulty, days when you missed home, and times when you questioned your choices — but all of those challenges ultimately strengthened your character and your faith." He added, "The knowledge you received at Handong is like a seed planted in fertile soil. In God's timing, it will surely grow into wisdom and become a precious testimony that guides your life."

Calling on graduates to embrace a global identity, President Park urged them to "become global leaders who hold both Korea and your home country in your hearts, serving as bridges between two nations." He concluded, "God has been shaping you through every challenge, and not a single moment has been wasted. Because God is our Father, we can move forward without fear — live in the faith that He is always with us."

Two graduates delivered responses on behalf of their peers. David Lukas Niewelt of Germany, who completed a master's degree in the International Business Administration program, reflected on how his time at HGU transformed him. "I first came to Handong as an exchange student, almost by chance — but God had a different plan," he said. "Choosing Handong became a turning point in my life." Niewelt credited the faculty's dedication for enabling him to grow both academically and in faith, noting that "the adaptability and inner resilience I naturally developed while living in an unfamiliar culture remain assets I would not trade for anything."

Lovan Valina of Laos, representing the undergraduate graduates, described how HGU had become a true home. "Handong became my home — a place where people from countless countries and cultures, each with their own story, lived, learned, and grew together," she said. "We leave here as entirely different people from who we were when we arrived." She encouraged fellow graduates to "live each day with purpose after graduation and to keep God as our priority."

Enkhbaatar Urangoo, president of the International Students' Union (ISU), delivered remarks on behalf of the current student body. "The graduating seniors were not simply upperclassmen who enrolled before us — they were mentors and leaders who showed us, by example, what it looks like to live a life of service to community," she said. "Your influence will continue not in grades or titles, but in the lives of the people you encouraged and built up." She added, "Even as you leave Handong, you will always be remembered as part of this community."

HGU currently enrolls 270 international students from 60 countries, reflecting the university's commitment to a genuinely global campus environment. The university operates the Handong International Freshman Academy (HIFA), a pre-enrollment program that helps incoming international students prepare linguistically, academically, and culturally before they join the Handong community. The university plans to continue expanding its international education environment in pursuit of developing globally competent graduates grounded in faith and knowledge.

링크 공유