Salisbury, MD — While visiting South Korea last August, Salisbury University President Carolyn Ringer Lepre expanded SU’s memorandum of understanding with Dongguk University President Yun Jae-woong to add a bilateral student exchange program to the institutions’ ongoing collaborations.
Recently, faculty from the Seoul university reciprocated Lepre’s visit, as Drs. Hwang Soonyil, dean of Dongguk’s School of Buddhist Studies, and Venerable Chongdok, director of the school’s Center for Buddhist Research, were welcomed at SU.
Dr. Kwangwook Gang, associate professor of management in SU’s Franklin P. Perdue School of Business, has been the intellectual leader behind the partnership with Dongguk, initiated in 2022 with a series of virtual global classrooms. He hosted the guests during their visit.
One of the highlights of their visit was a presentation by the visiting faculty on aspects of Buddhism from a Korean perspective as part of SU’s Buddhist Philosophy course, taught by Dr. Joerg Tuske, professor of philosophy. Students in the class learned about the Jogye Order, the largest order of professed Buddhist nuns and monks in Korea, as well as how Buddhist religious precepts and worldview influence attitudes toward the environment and sustainability in Korea.
“It was a great privilege to have Professor Hwang and Venerable Chongdok in my class,” said Tuske. “I hope some of my students might eventually study abroad in Korea, but all of the students had the opportunity right here in Salisbury to gain a global perspective through the in-person visit from two distinguished Korean scholars.”
Tuske also enjoyed reminiscing with Hwang and Venerable about professors and classmates that they had in common when they studied Buddhism in the UK during the 1990s.
During their visit, Dr. Maarten Pereboom, dean of SU’s Charles R. and Martha N. Fulton School of Liberal Arts, co-signed a letter with Hwang and Venerable to formalize a collaboration on Buddhist studies with Dongguk’s School of Buddhist Studies, enhancing existing agreements between the universities.
The first SU and Dongguk students will study abroad through the bilateral exchange in spring 2025. Junior biology major and Glenda Chatham and Robert G. Clarke Honors College student Jailyn Collier of Accokeek, MD, is one of four SU students planning to participate in the exchange. Helping to host the visiting faculty, she learned more about studying at Dongguk.
“I really enjoyed meeting the professors from Dongguk; they were amiable and engaging,” she said. “They gave me their business cards and invited me to visit their offices when I study abroad in Seoul in the spring. I feel even more excited now about studying abroad for a full semester in South Korea.”
Dr. Brian Stiegler, SU assistant provost for international education, expects Salisbury students’ interest in Dongguk to expand in the coming semesters.
“Salisbury University is committed to expanding our global learning in East Asia in both South Korea and Japan,” he said. “The growing partnership with Dongguk is an important component of this expansion of engagement with the region.”
For more information on the study abroad program for SU students at Dongguk University, visit http://studyabroad.salisbury.edu and type “Korea” in the search field.
Learn more about SU and opportunities to Make Tomorrow Yours at www.salisbury.edu.
From left: Dr. Kwangwook Gang, SU associate professor of management; SU President Carolyn Ringer Lepre; Dr. Hwang Soonyil, dean of the Dongguk University School of Buddhist Studies; Dr. Venerable Chongdok, director of Dongguk University’s Center for Buddhist Research; Dr. Brian Stiegler, SU assistant provost for international education; and Dr. Joerg Tuske, SU professor of philosophy.
