Affiliated Programs

Friends of Korea- Fellowship Support for Korea Studies in Korea

The Friends of Korea Studies program provides invaluable financial support for our students to take intensive Korean language courses in Korea during the summer and to carry out field research in Korea on topics relating to Korea and East Asia. Friends of Korea has made a significant difference in the academic and personal lives of numerous GW students. Since 2004, the Sigur Center has allocated $ 222,744 to 25 undergraduate, masters, and PhD students to help finance intensive Korean language study in the summer and carry out field research.

In total, the Sigur Center and Friends of Korea Studies have disbursed $70,0760 to 17 Korean language fellows and $30,175 to six field research fellows. In addition, the Sigur Center awarded $122,523 to four U.S. Department of Education-sponsored Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) grantees to study Korean at GW.

Two students have been awarded a total of $11,000 to carryout field research in Korea this summer. The summer 2013 research fellows are:

  • Inwook Kim
  • PhD Candidate, Political Science
    Research Topic: Explaining divergence in oil-supply diversification: A comparative study of China, Japan and Korea
  • Seok Joon Kim
  • PhD Candidate, Political Science
    Research Topic: Why would emerging middle powers want to join the international aid regime? Evidence from South Korea's 2008 foreign aid policy decision

Two students have been awarded a total of $12,000 to study Korean language in Korea this summer. The summer 2013 language fellows include:

  • Selina Laura
  • Sophomore, International Affairs; Asia Concentration
    Korean Studies Minor
    Sogang University Korean Language Education Center
  • Andrew Frenkel
  • Sophomore, Asian Studies
    Korean Studies Minor
    Korean Program: Korea University

Friends of Korea Studies make an enormous difference in our student's lives. In the words of one 2011 fellow:

"This grant will enable me to improve my Korean language skills to a more professional level matching my Mandarin, which is something I have desired for a long time and would be unable to do otherwise," said Caleb Dependahl. "It will not only increase my cross-cultural understanding and professional marketability, but will also open up a whole new range of research possibilities and give me an added dimension of perspective that few students of China and East Asia attain. 'Thankful' does not begin to describe my gratitude in being selected as a recipient for this grant," Dependahl said.