HOKMA College of General Education Global Studies Division Hosts 2025 Fall Semester Farewell Event ‘Butterfly, Fly’
- Date2025.11.28
- 312
The Global Studies Division of HOKMA College of General Education successfully hosted the 2025 Fall Semester Farewell EventButterfly, Flyon Monday, November 24, at ECC Lee Sam Bong Hall. Approximately 200 first-semester students who entered the Global Studies Division in Spring 2025 attended the event, which was organized to celebrate the completion of their first academic year and encourage their transition into their respective majors. 
The venue for the 2025 Fall Semester HOKMA College of General Education Global Studies Division Farewell EventButterfly, Fly
The event opened with remarks by Dean Kim Jihye of the Global Studies Division. In her welcome address, Dean Lee Haeyoung of HOKMA College of General Education emphasized that the students are “butterflies soaring into a new sky at Ewha,” offering encouragement for their growth and challenges over the past year. 
Dean Lee congratulating and applauding the students for completing their first year.
This was followed by the awards ceremony for the 1st Ewha HOKMA Korean Writing Contest for International Students. The contest, newly introduced this year to support international students in improving their Korean proficiency and gaining writing experience, received a total of 163 submissions during the month of October. Participants submitted their work in three categories based on TOPIK (Test of Proficiency in Korean) levels: Jin (Level 5–6), Seon (Level 3–4), and Mi (Level 2 and below). From each category, one first-place, two second-place, and three third-place winners were selected, with the Mi category awarding four third-place winners. In addition, 15 students across all categories received Honorable Mention awards. Dean Lee Haeyoung of HOKMA College of General Education personally presented the awards for the Jin, Seon, and Mi categories, while the list of Honorable Mention recipients was displayed on screen.
The 1st Ewha HOKMA Korean Writing Contest for International Students Awards Ceremony | Group Photo of the Contest Winners
May Zun Hlaing, an international student from Myanmar, was selected as the grand award recipient (first place in the Jin category) for her essayDreaming of Becoming the Mary Scranton of Myanmar. In her writing, she candidly reflected on her experience teaching refugee children in Myanmar’s civil war regions after the coup, where she discovered the transformative power of education. She also shared how Ewha Womans University became the starting point of a new dream. She stated, “My year at Ewha allowed me to leave behind the confusion I experienced in Myanmar and plant a new seed of hope,” adding, “Following in the footsteps of Missionary Mary Scranton, I hope to become a ‘new Scranton’ who leads a revolution in women’s education in Myanmar.” She expressed that receiving the award strengthened her conviction in her goals and affirmed her commitment to continue growing as a proud Ewha student.
Grand Award Recipient of the Writing Contest (First Place in the Jin Category) May Zun Hlaing
The second part of the event featured performances and recreational activities led by students. OW NDO, a Korean traditional music crossover band founded by alumni of Ewha’s Department of Korean Music, performed three celebratory pieces. The Global Studies Division’s student dance team “Creamppang,” composed of students of various nationalities including Germany, Russia, Malaysia, and the Philippines, presented an original choreography performance that was met with enthusiastic applause.
Celebratory Performance by OW NDO, a Korean Traditional Music Crossover Band | Original Choreography Performance by “Creamppang,” the Global Studies Division Student Dance Team
Recreational activities followed. Students participated in a team-based quiz competition, writing responses on whiteboards at each table. The quiz featured questions related to Korea, the Korean language, and K-culture, generating lively engagement and a heightened sense of excitement throughout the hall. Laughter and cheers echoed across the room, filling the farewell event with warmth.
Participants shared meaningful moments as they exchanged stories and reflected on their experiences over the past year. Students commented that the event allowed them to “create special memories with friends while closing out the year.” As the first farewell event held since the establishment of the Global Studies Division at HOKMA College of General Education, the program served as an opportunity for international students to look back on their first year at Ewha and prepare for new challenges as they enter their majors.
HOKMA College of General Education will continue to offer diverse programs to support international students’ academic and daily-life adjustment.