Auburn University Provost Mary Ellen Mazey visits with Korea University graduate students at a July 13 reception hosted by the College of Education.

Having earned his doctorate at the University of Florida and served on faculty at the University of Arkansas, Dr. Sang Min Lee developed an appreciation for Southern culture and hospitality.  More than anything else, however, those years spent in slow-paced hamlets validated Lee's beliefs about the transformative powers of education.

"Cross-cultural experiences are important because they teach adaptation skills,'' said Lee, an assistant professor of educational counseling at Korea University  in Seoul.

Experiences don't get much more cross-cultural than what Lee experienced in Gainesville and Fayetteville, where the locals love barbecue and college football and pepper their conversations with an occasional "y'all.'' As the framework for a partnership between Auburn University's College of Education and its counterparts at Korea University become more defined, students and faculty members from both institutions will experience social and educational awakenings.

"They can go beyond what they already know and they can be outside of their own boxes,'' said Dr. Suhyun Suh, an associate professor in Auburn's Department of Special Education, Rehabilitation, Counseling/School Psychology and coordinator of the master's program in school counseling. "They can interact with people who are different from them.''

(From left) Drs. Sang Min Lee and In-Woo Park discuss the potential benefits of a student and faculty exchange between Auburn University and Korea University.

This month, both universities have been able to experience their proposed faculty and student exchange in microcosm. The College of Education welcomed Lee and Dr. In-Woo Park, chair of Korea University's Department of Education  and professor of educational technology, to campus along with several Korea University graduate students - Bo Young Choi, Eun Sun Jung, Arum Kim, Won Young Kim, Ji Hee Lee, Mee Kyung Lee and Yang Min Park. The majority of the group will remain in Auburn until July 21.

All but one of the students had not visited the United States until coming to Auburn, but Korea University advertises itself as possessing a "frontier spirit'' and includes in its stated vision a desire to become "one of the world's top 100 universities.'' Dr. Lee said one of the ways the university has demonstrated its commitment to encouraging students to explore academic growth beyond Korea's borders is to teach the vast majority of its classes in English and to require newly-hired faculty members to be fluent in the language.

Korea University's interest in sending faculty members and students to Auburn allowed for representatives of both schools of education to continue ongoing discussions of joint service learning projects, semester-long teaching practicum and internship opportunities for students, research collaborations and visiting professorships.

"These partnerships are so important to us,'' said Dr. Frances Kochan, dean of Auburn's College of Education. "In this world with so many struggles, it's a joy when we can come together and be one.''

Suh and Dr. John Dagley, an associate professor of counseling psychology, ignited the College of Education's interest in building a partnership with Korea University. The two faculty members initially explored outreach initiatives to coincide with the influx of Koreans brought to West Georgia and East Alabama by the arrival of Kia and Hyundai plants, suppliers and other related businesses.

"We need to help the students and the community members, especially the professionals who are in education, have better knowledge about the Korean people,'' Suh said.

Their vision expanded to include international study and research opportunities for Auburn students and faculty members.

Drs. John Dagley (middle) and Suhyun Suh (right) meet with Royrickers Cook, assistant vice president for university outreach.

"Dr. Suh and I were talking about the commitment we have to trying to persuade doctoral students to include international studies in their education,'' Dagley said. "A modern academic ought to have an experience outside their comfort zone. It should influence the way they think about people, the way they accept them and care about them.''

The partnership with Korea University includes proposals for exchanges of undergraduate and graduate students, as well as faculty. Auburn students could soon have the opportunity to complete short-term service learning projects in Korea while working in conjunction with Korea University and Seoul schools. Semester-long teaching practica and internships based at Korea University are among the initiatives for Auburn students. Similarly, Korea University students would have the opportunity to complete coursework at Auburn and receive valuable classroom experience through semester-long practica and internships in local schools.

During their visit, Korea University's contingent of graduate students received an indication of the cultural and educational opportunities that such a partnership affords. In addition to being guests at faculty-hosted barbecues and receptions, the students attended lectures, interacted with Auburn City Schools' counselors and took tours of Auburn University's Space Power Institute and its Department of Fisheries.

While the vision for such an exchange may have originated in the College of Education, Dagley said the opportunity exists for other academic programs to become involved. During a reception hosted by the college to welcome the Korea University contingent, faculty members representing mechanical engineering, food science and other disciplines mingled with the visitors.

"It could well blossom in that kind of way,'' Dagley said. "It's about institutional and community commitment.''

It's also about building long-lasting relationships.

"This will be a wonderful partnership,'' said Auburn Provost Mary Ellen Mazey. "As we live in this world, it becomes smaller every day. What can be more important than building these partnerships? We all have much to learn from each other.''