To Ewha, for Giving Me the Greatest Joy of Life
- Date2023.10.20
- 4712
Alumna Lee Myung-hee (Nutritional Science and Food Management, graduating class of 1969) donated a scholarship fund consisting of a portion of the savings that she amassed over the 30 years of teaching up to her recent retirement. The donation of KRW 100 million will be titled the “Lee Myung-hee B Scholarship,” after the nickname she went by during her undergraduate years, and provided to undergraduates majoring in the Department of Nutritional Science and Food Management under the College of Science & Industry Convergence.
Visiting her alma mater after a long absence to deliver the fund, alumna Lee vividly remembered her very first encounter with Ewha around 60 years ago. She recalled, “I was a high school student in Busan when I had the opportunity to visit Ewha for the first time. The flower patch outside Hak-gwan was covered with salvias in full bloom, which were so beautiful that I made up my mind in an instant to get into Ewha one day.”
She also shared the excitement she felt upon receiving her first paycheck following her appointment as a middle school teacher after graduation. “I was just thankful to have my own desk in the teachers’ office, then I was even more thankful when I got my first paycheck. For the longest time, I hoped to repay my alma mater in some small way for giving me so much joy,” she added.
Whenever there was an occasion where she would meet up with her fellow alumnae, alumna Lee had a habit of saying, “I’m going to give something back to Ewha someday.” She explained, “I was planning to finally keep my promise once I turn 80, but it struck me one day that I should see it through whilst I can still afford it, which is why I went ahead and made the donation. It certainly wasn’t a small amount of money for me, and I also had to take my children’s opinion into account since it’s such a big decision, but I couldn’t be any happier and prouder to say that my two daughters-in-law were wholehearted in their support for my decision.”
“I hope that our juniors will feel the same joy that I did during my time at Ewha. I would also like the scholarship to be properly managed in a way that helps the students who are most in need,” she added. Her face glowed, as she let the spirit of sharing deepen her gratitude for even the smallest joys in life.