Mason Korea Marks a Decade of Success

In March 2014, George Mason University took a nearly 7,000-mile step in its commitment to becoming a university for the world when it opened its campus in Songdo, Korea. This June, the university took a moment to celebrate a successful 10 years with a week of festivities.

What began with 20 students as part of the Incheon Global Campus, a national project established by the Korean government and Incheon Metropolitan City to innovate the Korean education system and nurture the next generation of global leaders, now boasts more than 900 students who represent 18 countries.

The new campus is a key source of educational, research, and internship opportunities for George Mason students in both the United States and Korea. As then-provost Peter Stearns, who played a pivotal role in establishing Mason Korea, said, “Preparing students for their future lives and careers has to involve a serious global component because they’re living in a world where global interactions are increasingly going to be part of the fabric of their lives.”

Mason Korea offers six undergraduate and two graduate degrees and encourages Korea-based students to experience one year of their college studies in the United States. About 100 students travel to Virginia each semester.

Virginia-based administrators, faculty, staff, and students traveled to South Korea to take part in the celebration and begin planning for the next decade. They even brought along their own band.

Making Beautiful Music Together

Part of the group traveling to Mason Korea from Virginia was music professor and director of the Green Machine Ensembles Michael “Doc Nix” Nickens and a small group from the Green Machine.

The Mason Korea anniversary opening event featured a first-of-its-kind collaboration between the Green Machine pep band and Mason Korea's student band, Crescent. The bands’ synergy filled the banquet hall with a mix of English and Korean pop music hits.

“It was really interesting interacting with musicians from Mason Korea,” says Green Machine drummer Dylan Story. “It goes to show how music is a universal language that we all share regardless of who we are, where we come from.”

Meeting with the Mayor of Incheon

A landmark meeting between George Mason president Gregory Washington and Incheon mayor Jeong-bok Yoo helped mark a decade of successful collaboration and solidified a commitment to the future of Mason Korea.

Washington expressed his gratitude for Incheon’s unwavering support over the past decade. Discussions focused on Mason Korea's future, including expanding the campus and establishing new research institutes.

“This meeting with Mayor Yoo provided a valuable opportunity to reflect on Mason Korea's remarkable journey,” says Washington. “We look forward to sharing our vision for the future and further strengthening our partnership with Incheon City for mutual growth.”

Yoo echoed the sentiment, extending congratulations on Mason Korea's anniversary and acknowledging their contributions to the Incheon Global Campus (IGC). He specifically highlighted the university's role in cultivating global talent, citing the significant increase in IGC student enrollment this year.

Yoo also commended Mason Korea's commitment to the region through initiatives like the new master of laws degree program, which fosters local talent development and competitiveness.

“We are grateful for Mason Korea’s dedication to raising the profile of the IGC,” says Yoo. “Their success aligns perfectly with our vision for the Incheon Global Campus. We look forward to their continued contributions.”

Continued Alliance with the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority

George Mason and the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority (IFEZA) also solidified their partnership with a memorandum of understanding (MOU). Washington and IFEZA commissioner Wonsok Yun led the signing ceremony, paving the way for expanded collaboration on industry–academia projects between Mason Korea, located in the Songdo International Business District of the Incheon free economic zone, and IFEZA.

The agreement focuses on fostering joint educational and research initiatives in critical areas like bioengineering, biomanufacturing, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, information and communication technologies, and start-up incubation. This collaboration has the potential to create exciting new opportunities for students and researchers in both Korea and the United States.

“This MOU marks a significant step forward for Mason Korea,” says Washington. “By expanding our cooperation with IFEZA, we aim to equip students with valuable educational experiences and further support the development of the Incheon region.”

“We are thrilled to solidify our existing partnership with Mason Korea and extend it to encompass George Mason’s U.S. campus," says Yun. “This MOU has the potential to propel both George Mason University and the Incheon region toward a brighter future.”

An Anniversary Gala

As part of the celebration, Mason Korea hosted a gala at the Fairmont Ambassador Seoul, during which Washington and Mason Korea dean Robert Matz reflected on Mason Korea's history and outlined plans for the future. A video message from Stearns, now provost emeritus, was part of the program.

“A lot of people have put in tremendous amounts of time and constructive energy, so [Mason Korea is] a real achievement that all sorts of people have contributed to, including the students,” says Stearns, who was provost from 2000 to 2015. “It's just really good to see the campus succeeding to this extent, and it's a source of real pleasure to me that we've done so well.”

Mason Korea supporters who made this milestone possible—including deans, senior leadership, current and former leadership, and advisory board members—were also recognized.

A highlight of the evening was a generous $60,000 pledge by Mason Korea advisory board member Sam Machour, bringing his total commitment to student scholarships since 2022 to $120,000. Goeun Baek, a scholarship recipient, delivered an emotional speech expressing gratitude to Machour for his transformative impact on her academic journey.

Class of 2024

The week of festivities culminated with Mason Korea faculty, staff, students, and proud families gathering to celebrate the achievements of the Class of 2024. Guests also had the opportunity to witness two Mason Korea firsts as Vice Provost Janette Muir hooded its first doctoral graduate, Eric W. Ross, PhD Cultural Studies ’24, and Washington recognized its first Presidential Faculty Excellence Award recipient Eunmee Lee.

Ross and Lee are both Mason Korea faculty members. Ross teaches in the School of Integrative Studies. Lee joined Mason as a faculty member for INTO Mason in 2015. In 2016, she transferred to the Mason Korea faculty in Incheon, where she is currently an instructional associate professor and teaches English for academic purposes. Lee is also the founder and director of Mason Korea’s Academic Resource Center.

Graduating senior Se Na Julsdorf, BA Conflict Analysis and Resolution ’24, delivered a moving speech on behalf of the student body, and George Mason alum Gunsu Kim, BS Tourism and Events Management ’12, CEO of ALLWorks, had the honor of pinning the newest graduates.

In his congratulatory remarks, Washington highlighted the campus’s unique role, stating, “Mason Korea exemplifies how George Mason is 'All Together Different' and how our university offers students the experiences necessary to chart their own path, but at the same time prepares them for success in the global economy.”