IFEZ Journal

Intro ducing the Global Campus in IFEZ

Introducing the Global Campus in IFEZ 

George Mason University Korea (Mason Korea), which opened its global campus in Songdo International City for the spring semester of 2014, welcomed Joshua K. Park (‘47), J.D., as its new dean last August, succeeding Dr. Robert Matz. IFEZ Special Advisor for International Cooperation Shin Yong-seok, who is broadening the international, social, historical, and cultural horizons of the local community, met Joshua K. Park to discuss the current status and new visions of the 11-year-old Mason Korea.

SPECIAL INTERVIEW

Shin Yong-suk

special advisor for international cooperation within Incheon Free Economic Zone (IFEZ)

Joshua K. Park

Campus Dean of George Mason University Korea

Shin Yong-suk Can you please tell me about your academic background and career before becoming campus dean of Mason Korea?

Joshua K. Park I immigrated to the United States with my parents when I was seven years old and studied there, starting from elementary school. After graduating from Pomona College in California and earning my Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School, I returned to Korea with aspirations for teaching. I started my career teaching American Law at Inha University and have also served as a visiting professor at Beijing Foreign Studies University in China and KEPCO International Nuclear Graduate School (KINGS). In 2010, I joined the SolBridge International School of Business at Woosong University in Daejeon, acting as a founding faculty member. I later took office as dean of the school, working to help it grow into an internationally competitive institution. Under my leadership, SolBridge attained Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) re-accreditation, featured twice in the AACSB “Innovations that Inspire” spotlight, and it became renowned for its diverse students and innovative programs, drawing nearly 1,300 students from over 80 countries.

Shin Yong-suk George Mason University is a relatively young university, founded in 1972, but it is well known in the United States and internationally. What’s good or special about George Mason University?

Joshua K. Park Located near Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States, George Mason University is classified as an “R1: Doctoral University – Very high research activity” by the Carnegie Foundation, and it produces some of the highest-paid graduates of any university in Virginia. It was ranked number one among U.S. universities under 50 years old in 2021. It currently enrolls more than 40,000 students from 130 countries and all 50 U.S. states.

Shin Yong-suk There are a lot of Koreans living in Fairfax, where George Mason University is located, and I’ve visited the area several times. Do you have a special relationship with the Korean community there?

Joshua K. Park Fairfax County of Northern Virginia is home to one of the largest Korean communities in the United States. The opening of the Korean campus was actively supported by U.S. politicians and Korean community members, and we continue to have a close relationship with them. Mason Korea’s primary mission is to act as a mediator between Incheon and Washington, D.C. It is currently working on a project to help small and medium-sized businesses in Incheon enter the U.S. market, also offering active support for the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at George Mason University’s School of Business in the United States.

Shin Yong-suk The Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, founded in line with President Jimmy Carter’s usual beliefs and involvement, is an internationally renowned department. Can you share some details on the background of its establishment and the employment status for its graduates?

Joshua K. Park The Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, a department centered around the former president’s pacifist spirit, is designed to help students develop practical skills to recognize, analyze, and solve problems in real-world conflict situations, based on a curriculum ranked No. 1 in its field in the United States. The graduates work in international organizations, NGOs, and government agencies, demonstrating their teamwork and negotiation skills, and some even advance to prestigious graduate schools at home and abroad.

Shin Yong-suk Recently, U.S. President Trump’s drastic tariff policy has led to various international conflicts, and ideological conflicts have also intensified in Korea. Is this a key time for The Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution to play a role?

Joshua K. Park  That’s a good point. In any dispute, there are limits to the parties’ attempts at problem-solving and resolution, but the intervention of an outsider with expertise can change the situation. I believe that the department will have a special role and meaning at a time like this, as Jimmy Carter was very interested in Korea during his lifetime. Even after leaving office, he visited North Korea several times as a special envoy of President Clinton and participated in the construction of low-income housing in Korea. graduate schools at home and abroad.