WEST LIBERTY, W.Va., March 24, 2016 — A new partnership between Hanbat National University (South Korea) and West Liberty University builds a beneficial exchange of knowledge between a West Virginia public university and a national university in the Republic of Korea.
“Opportunities like this are important to college students today who must learn to excel in a diverse educational and professional environment. I congratulate Professor Kang for her work in arranging this outreach. Global educational opportunities makes us all stronger and result in better leaders,” said President Dr. Stephen Greiner, as he signed the official document creating the arrangement.
Moonjung Kang is a native of Korea and has been employed at WLU since fall 2009 in the College of Arts and Communication. She is an associate professor of art.
“During our recent spring break, I visited Korea to finalize the Memorandum of Understanding between WLU and Hanbat. It is very rewarding to reach this point and now to sign the document,” said Kang.
“I started this partnership with my own department and my graphic design students but Hanbat suggested a university-wide sharing since so many of our programs work well with their programs. This Memorandum of Understanding will grow and offer more of our students from all majors a benefit. Also, in the future Korean students will join us on the Hilltop and study here as the international exchange develops and grows,” Kang said.
Kang developed the graphic design study abroad program with the Department of Visual Communication in Hanbat to give WLU graphic design majors a first hand education in Asian art, calligraphy and more. This summer she will once again return to Hanbat with students in tow.
“I am taking four graphic design major students for a four-week program from June 27 to July 22. Hanbat will host us and provides our students with free tuition, meals and housing. Plus, our students will earn six academic credits from WLU through this advanced design program, so it is a wonderful opportunity for students,” she explained.
The intensive four-week program for visual communication includes working with Hanbat design students and creating teamwork collaboration. The course builds upon sequential graphic design projects that challenge complex solutions to visual communication and design problems. Team projects will look at contemporary design media such as advertising design, packaging design, branding, public relations, direct marketing and media plan development. Also, a variety of supporting lectures and studio classes will be offered to explore the student’s understanding of traditional design media such as Asian style illustration, calligraphy, Asian paper art and more.
Professor Kang also has developed a joint exhibition opportunity in which WLU student work is displayed at Hanbat. This began this past December when seniors held their regular senior exhibition. Hanbat received photo images of the work and installed and displayed these images in Asia.
Next fall, a visiting professor, Dr. Mihee Hong from Hanbat, will join WLU campus. She will spend a sabbatical year at WLU, teaching and giving lectures. Hong studied in England and teaches design theory, history and multi-media in Hanbat.
Eventually, Professor Kang hopes to open an international art and design show at West Liberty University for the Korean Contents Organization. The last exhibition this group presented was in New York City.
“I am a part of the international exhibition committee, and the committee has indicated it would like to open the show at WLU in July 2017. We are honored,” she said.
West Liberty University is a forward-looking, four-year public university steeped in a rich heritage as West Virginia’s oldest institution of higher education. Five colleges and a School of Professional Studies offer more than 60 majors and 30 programs that are nationally recognized or accredited. Graduate programs include the Master of Arts in Education, the Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies, Master of Professional Studies, the Master of Criminology and the MBA degrees.
For more information on WLU, please call 1.866.WESTLIB or visit westliberty.edu/art for details on WLU’s art programs.