SNU SOCIETY
CMP and SMP welcomes you unconditionally
Though there are many different ways of meeting new people on campus, it is relatively more difficult to make connections through spontaneous encounters–i.e., without engaging in academic pursuits or finding similar interests. Seoul National University (SNU)’s Campus Mentoring Program (CMP) and School-life Mentoring Program (SMP) allow more varied types of connections.
The Center for Campus Life and Culture (CCLC) is a center fully dedicated to SNU students and faculty in need of psychological support. It provides a wide range of professional services including psychological counseling, self-development programs, and crisis interventions.
The Competency Development Department, one of the departments of CCLC, develops various programs to improve network competency between SNU students. The Campus Mentoring Program (CMP) is a mentoring program which connects incoming Korean freshmen, or the mentees, with enrolled upperclassmen, the “mentors”, as a way to expand networking opportunities for the freshman. Like CMP, the School-life Mentoring Program (SMP) is a mentoring program with the same format, but it is for incoming international freshmen. There are four types of activities in CMP and SMP: individual mentoring meetings, group mentoring meetings, gathering events, and group supervision.
Individual mentoring meetings are compulsory meetings that take place between one mentor and mentee. These meetings are held once a week, more than two hours each time, and take place a total of 10 times or more. Students can plan their own individual mentoring activities. CCLC provides funds – provided that they meet the minimum requirements – to help assist in the execution of mentoring activities.
Six of these individual mentoring teams are lumped into one larger group to host group mentoring meetings. Group mentoring meetings are regular meetings with other mentoring teams, where approximately 20 people meet each other. It is an essential activity as it is a chance to mingle with other CMP and/or SMP members.
There are group supervision meetings for mentors and mentees. CMP and SMP mentors and mentees share progress on their activities and provide feedback. Moreover, mentees can get advice regarding campus life thus far including concerns over grades , extracurriculars, relationships, etc. These meetings take place three times a semester for mentors and only once for mentees.
Lastly, there are general gathering events for all mentoring members that are held twice each semester. All mentors and mentees at CMP and SMP go on a picnic, potluck parties, etc. Different activities take place every semester. This semester, the first gathering was Sports Day. Students played various games at the school gym and had a group dinner. The second gathering event was “Running Man in SNU campus.” Like the Korean variety show ‘Running Man,’ the members in groups roamed around the campus, playing games in hopes of winning prizes.
How can you join CMP and SMP? Who can join?
CMP and SMP recruit new mentors and mentees every new semester. The qualification of mentors are all undergraduate students that are in their second year or higher. Students who are taking a gap semester or year can also apply to become mentors. The process of application consists of two parts: an online application review and a face-to-face interview. After the interview, the selected mentors receive basic education and orientation in preparation for becoming mentors.
Any freshmen who want to join the program can apply for CMP and SM. Filling the application online is the only requirement. Mentees should consider most importantly whether they have enough spare time for the mentoring program. There are mandatory activities to attend to receive certification so it is important that you consider your schedule for the upcoming semester.
Personal Experience
As a CMP mentee this semester, I met the best mentors and had the amazing opportunity to make new and lasting relationships with other CMP members. I had always wanted to connect with people outside my department, so as soon as I saw the email that alerted me of the application deadline, I joined without hesitation.
I got to experience various activities through CMP. Through individual mentoring sessions, campus sightseeing and a food tour around Gangnam station were some of the more memorable ones. We also studied together for midterms and traded snacks with each other. At group mentoring sessions, I went to a board game café, Han River, as well as other fun places with my buddies. I especially remember when our group members ate jjajangmyeon at the square in front of the administrative building together. I loved it because eating jjajangmyeon on campus grass has been what I dreamed of for years.
CMP provides various activities and events so that students can meet up regularly and frequently. Group gatherings events were held every two months and provided the opportunity for CMP and SMP members to fraternize with each other. Even on days when my assigned mentor and fellow mentee were busy, I could still meet mentors and mentees in my group and try out fun activities together.
Now, at the time when CMP is almost over, I am fully satisfied with CMP. I was able to bond with students that I couldn’t possibly be friends if I didn’t join. I fully recommend it to everyone who is interested in CMP and SMP. There were some mentors who came back from the military and joined this semester, so you see, anyone can apply. Those who want to make great relationships between fellow students are all welcome to join.
I interviewed CMP and SMP Coordinator Han Gwang-hyun, and SMP mentor Lee Young-jun to provide readers with an intimate glimpse into CMP and SMP.
Q1. Hello. Please briefly introduce yourself and the mentoring program, CMP and SMP.
GH: I’m Gwang-Hyun Han, working in the Competency Development Department of CCLC. I am currently the coordinator of both CMP and SMP. To provide a brief explanation, CMP and SMP are programs to help freshmen adjust to campus life at SNU by matching freshmen mentees with upperclassmen mentors.
YL: Hello, I’m Young-Jun Lee and I’m a student in my third year studying at the SNU School of Dentistry. I am a SMP mentor this semester.
Section 1: All about CMP and SMP
Q2. I am interested in the inception of SMP and CMP. How did these programs come to be?
GH: The mentoring programs take place over the course of one semester; this year, CMP is in its 16th year and SMP is in its 13th year. The Department of Social Welfare first organized the mentoring program as a part of student welfare. There were no other programs at SNU that supported incoming students in adapting to university life, therefore you could view it as the university’s official guide that provides support for freshmen students.
Q3. It has already been the 33rd session for CMP and the 26th session for SMP, this semester. What do you think is the main reason this program has maintained popularity over the years?
GH: I think it is because students have a good time in the program. They have responded positively to their experiences here. In many cases, students that participate as mentees of CMP or SMP often come back to become mentors. I think this helped generate buzz around the program and ended up becoming the primary driving force of the program’s longevity.
YL: In my opinion, I believe it is because there is a lot of demand for mentoring from students. Freshmen and seniors alike want to meet new people and make new relationships. I think CMP and SMP have continued over the years because there are many freshmen students that want support from their peers and senior students that want to help their peers as well.
Section 2: Why CMP and SMP?
Q4. Why and how did you join this program?
GH: As I majored in social welfare, I naturally heard of various programs conducted by CCLC and one of them was CMP and SMP. After completing my master’s degree, I wanted to gain practical experience, so I came in as an employee at CCLC. After some time working in the Competency Development Department, I became the coordinator of CMP and SMP.
YL: Last year, when I was in my second year, I took a gap year to study abroad and had the chance to meet people from various cultural backgrounds. I gained new insights from listening to these students and gained the ability to think of solutions in a more multifaceted manner. Once I came back to SNU, I searched for programs that could likewise help me meet students from various backgrounds and looked up possible student-led activities at SNU through my email inbox. As soon as I discovered this program, I immediately applied to become a SMP mentor and so far, I am having a wonderful time this semester.
Q5. What has been the most memorable moment at CMP and SMP and why?
GH: The most unforgettable part of being the coordinator of CMP and SMP is watching students thrive as they work on their personal growth. As the coordinator, I read the reports students submit after they have personal and group mentoring sessions and I make sure to give detailed feedback. I can also get direct feedback in supervision meetings and experience first-hand how much they have grown as students. The most consequential moment is when mentees tell me that the mentoring program has helped them out a lot. In recent years, the freshmen entering SNU come from a more diverse pool of high schools than before; however, this also means they sometimes do not have seniors from their own highschool to mentor them at the university. CMP and SMP can help these students build strong relationships, just like the ones they would have with their high school seniors. A lot of freshmen have also said that they find their mentors to be trustworthy and dependable. In moments like these, I feel very proud.
YL: I don’t think I can pick one single moment. I liked every part of the experience.
Q6. What is the biggest distinction between CMP, SMP, and other mentoring programs or extracurricular activities such as the student council and other clubs? What makes CMP and SMP so special?
GH: First of all, CMP and SMP are official programs organized and supported by the university. Students can receive help from certified professional counselors at CCLC. I also have a first-degree social worker license, and this helps me provide feedback as a certified expert in mentoring activity reports and group supervision sessions. My expertise gives students the opportunity to freely seek out counseling sessions and any extra help they may need.
YL: I think it is the fact that we are free to do our activities however we like and without restrictions, and that we can meet students from all types of cultural backgrounds in this club. Other activities such as academic conferences and clubs have a strictly defined purpose or goal. In contrast, in CMP and SMP, students learn to interact with others through the natural process of getting to know each other.
Section 3: The Future of CMP and SMP
Q7. To whom would you recommend CMP and SMP?
YL: I hope students who want to find ‘genuine value’ join this program. I want mentors to be sincere in helping mentees. I also want mentees to be eager in this process. Though I cannot say that everything I say is correct, as an SMP mentor, I believe that sincerity and eagerness are the most crucial factors in the mentoring program. In the case of SMP mentees (the international freshmen), they enter SNU with a high likelihood of not knowing anyone. So, these SMP mentees especially look forward to meeting a “true upperclassman.” . I hope students joining CMP and SMP can truly engage in the mentoring activities and desire to learn the true importance of mentoring.
Q8. Does the mentor applicant have to be fluent in English or other foreign languages to join SMP?
YL: I don’t think that matters much. There are many students who studied at the Korean language school or came to Korea to get Global Korea Scholarships (GKS). There were also students that could not even speak English, but they have done the mentoring successfully and I have seen many instances like that. I think language may be useful but not the fundamental factor required for the SMP mentor. What is important is understanding and knowing the values of the mentoring program.
Q9. Any last words for students interested in CMP and SMP?
GH: I hope students come to participate with a healthy and cheerful outlook. Please do not come thinking of casual one-off meetings or thinking of this as a way to bulk up your resume. If you do so, you would be taking away a precious, joyful opportunity for someone else. CMP and SMP are really good programs where you can receive official support in adjusting to school life and experience personal growth in various ways; I hope students seize the opportunity to experience this mentoring program.
YL: In short, I hope students apply without feeling burdened. I don’t think having specific goals is important in CMP and SMP. It is different from joining a club or academic conference where you have an explicit purpose like making more friends or learning something. I think it is important to put in your best effort in the mentoring program and participate in every activity with sincerity. I hope future participants will learn the meaning of mentoring through this program.
The Center for Campus Life and Culture (CCLC) is a center fully dedicated to SNU students and faculty in need of psychological support. It provides a wide range of professional services including psychological counseling, self-development programs, and crisis interventions.
The Competency Development Department, one of the departments of CCLC, develops various programs to improve network competency between SNU students. The Campus Mentoring Program (CMP) is a mentoring program which connects incoming Korean freshmen, or the mentees, with enrolled upperclassmen, the “mentors”, as a way to expand networking opportunities for the freshman. Like CMP, the School-life Mentoring Program (SMP) is a mentoring program with the same format, but it is for incoming international freshmen. There are four types of activities in CMP and SMP: individual mentoring meetings, group mentoring meetings, gathering events, and group supervision.
Individual mentoring meetings are compulsory meetings that take place between one mentor and mentee. These meetings are held once a week, more than two hours each time, and take place a total of 10 times or more. Students can plan their own individual mentoring activities. CCLC provides funds – provided that they meet the minimum requirements – to help assist in the execution of mentoring activities.
Six of these individual mentoring teams are lumped into one larger group to host group mentoring meetings. Group mentoring meetings are regular meetings with other mentoring teams, where approximately 20 people meet each other. It is an essential activity as it is a chance to mingle with other CMP and/or SMP members.
There are group supervision meetings for mentors and mentees. CMP and SMP mentors and mentees share progress on their activities and provide feedback. Moreover, mentees can get advice regarding campus life thus far including concerns over grades , extracurriculars, relationships, etc. These meetings take place three times a semester for mentors and only once for mentees.
Lastly, there are general gathering events for all mentoring members that are held twice each semester. All mentors and mentees at CMP and SMP go on a picnic, potluck parties, etc. Different activities take place every semester. This semester, the first gathering was Sports Day. Students played various games at the school gym and had a group dinner. The second gathering event was “Running Man in SNU campus.” Like the Korean variety show ‘Running Man,’ the members in groups roamed around the campus, playing games in hopes of winning prizes.
How can you join CMP and SMP? Who can join?
CMP and SMP recruit new mentors and mentees every new semester. The qualification of mentors are all undergraduate students that are in their second year or higher. Students who are taking a gap semester or year can also apply to become mentors. The process of application consists of two parts: an online application review and a face-to-face interview. After the interview, the selected mentors receive basic education and orientation in preparation for becoming mentors.
Any freshmen who want to join the program can apply for CMP and SM. Filling the application online is the only requirement. Mentees should consider most importantly whether they have enough spare time for the mentoring program. There are mandatory activities to attend to receive certification so it is important that you consider your schedule for the upcoming semester.
Personal Experience
As a CMP mentee this semester, I met the best mentors and had the amazing opportunity to make new and lasting relationships with other CMP members. I had always wanted to connect with people outside my department, so as soon as I saw the email that alerted me of the application deadline, I joined without hesitation.
I got to experience various activities through CMP. Through individual mentoring sessions, campus sightseeing and a food tour around Gangnam station were some of the more memorable ones. We also studied together for midterms and traded snacks with each other. At group mentoring sessions, I went to a board game café, Han River, as well as other fun places with my buddies. I especially remember when our group members ate jjajangmyeon at the square in front of the administrative building together. I loved it because eating jjajangmyeon on campus grass has been what I dreamed of for years.
CMP provides various activities and events so that students can meet up regularly and frequently. Group gatherings events were held every two months and provided the opportunity for CMP and SMP members to fraternize with each other. Even on days when my assigned mentor and fellow mentee were busy, I could still meet mentors and mentees in my group and try out fun activities together.
Now, at the time when CMP is almost over, I am fully satisfied with CMP. I was able to bond with students that I couldn’t possibly be friends if I didn’t join. I fully recommend it to everyone who is interested in CMP and SMP. There were some mentors who came back from the military and joined this semester, so you see, anyone can apply. Those who want to make great relationships between fellow students are all welcome to join.
I interviewed CMP and SMP Coordinator Han Gwang-hyun, and SMP mentor Lee Young-jun to provide readers with an intimate glimpse into CMP and SMP.
Q1. Hello. Please briefly introduce yourself and the mentoring program, CMP and SMP.
GH: I’m Gwang-Hyun Han, working in the Competency Development Department of CCLC. I am currently the coordinator of both CMP and SMP. To provide a brief explanation, CMP and SMP are programs to help freshmen adjust to campus life at SNU by matching freshmen mentees with upperclassmen mentors.
YL: Hello, I’m Young-Jun Lee and I’m a student in my third year studying at the SNU School of Dentistry. I am a SMP mentor this semester.
Section 1: All about CMP and SMP
Q2. I am interested in the inception of SMP and CMP. How did these programs come to be?
GH: The mentoring programs take place over the course of one semester; this year, CMP is in its 16th year and SMP is in its 13th year. The Department of Social Welfare first organized the mentoring program as a part of student welfare. There were no other programs at SNU that supported incoming students in adapting to university life, therefore you could view it as the university’s official guide that provides support for freshmen students.
Q3. It has already been the 33rd session for CMP and the 26th session for SMP, this semester. What do you think is the main reason this program has maintained popularity over the years?
GH: I think it is because students have a good time in the program. They have responded positively to their experiences here. In many cases, students that participate as mentees of CMP or SMP often come back to become mentors. I think this helped generate buzz around the program and ended up becoming the primary driving force of the program’s longevity.
YL: In my opinion, I believe it is because there is a lot of demand for mentoring from students. Freshmen and seniors alike want to meet new people and make new relationships. I think CMP and SMP have continued over the years because there are many freshmen students that want support from their peers and senior students that want to help their peers as well.
Section 2: Why CMP and SMP?
Q4. Why and how did you join this program?
GH: As I majored in social welfare, I naturally heard of various programs conducted by CCLC and one of them was CMP and SMP. After completing my master’s degree, I wanted to gain practical experience, so I came in as an employee at CCLC. After some time working in the Competency Development Department, I became the coordinator of CMP and SMP.
YL: Last year, when I was in my second year, I took a gap year to study abroad and had the chance to meet people from various cultural backgrounds. I gained new insights from listening to these students and gained the ability to think of solutions in a more multifaceted manner. Once I came back to SNU, I searched for programs that could likewise help me meet students from various backgrounds and looked up possible student-led activities at SNU through my email inbox. As soon as I discovered this program, I immediately applied to become a SMP mentor and so far, I am having a wonderful time this semester.
Q5. What has been the most memorable moment at CMP and SMP and why?
GH: The most unforgettable part of being the coordinator of CMP and SMP is watching students thrive as they work on their personal growth. As the coordinator, I read the reports students submit after they have personal and group mentoring sessions and I make sure to give detailed feedback. I can also get direct feedback in supervision meetings and experience first-hand how much they have grown as students. The most consequential moment is when mentees tell me that the mentoring program has helped them out a lot. In recent years, the freshmen entering SNU come from a more diverse pool of high schools than before; however, this also means they sometimes do not have seniors from their own highschool to mentor them at the university. CMP and SMP can help these students build strong relationships, just like the ones they would have with their high school seniors. A lot of freshmen have also said that they find their mentors to be trustworthy and dependable. In moments like these, I feel very proud.
YL: I don’t think I can pick one single moment. I liked every part of the experience.
Q6. What is the biggest distinction between CMP, SMP, and other mentoring programs or extracurricular activities such as the student council and other clubs? What makes CMP and SMP so special?
GH: First of all, CMP and SMP are official programs organized and supported by the university. Students can receive help from certified professional counselors at CCLC. I also have a first-degree social worker license, and this helps me provide feedback as a certified expert in mentoring activity reports and group supervision sessions. My expertise gives students the opportunity to freely seek out counseling sessions and any extra help they may need.
YL: I think it is the fact that we are free to do our activities however we like and without restrictions, and that we can meet students from all types of cultural backgrounds in this club. Other activities such as academic conferences and clubs have a strictly defined purpose or goal. In contrast, in CMP and SMP, students learn to interact with others through the natural process of getting to know each other.
Section 3: The Future of CMP and SMP
Q7. To whom would you recommend CMP and SMP?
YL: I hope students who want to find ‘genuine value’ join this program. I want mentors to be sincere in helping mentees. I also want mentees to be eager in this process. Though I cannot say that everything I say is correct, as an SMP mentor, I believe that sincerity and eagerness are the most crucial factors in the mentoring program. In the case of SMP mentees (the international freshmen), they enter SNU with a high likelihood of not knowing anyone. So, these SMP mentees especially look forward to meeting a “true upperclassman.” . I hope students joining CMP and SMP can truly engage in the mentoring activities and desire to learn the true importance of mentoring.
Q8. Does the mentor applicant have to be fluent in English or other foreign languages to join SMP?
YL: I don’t think that matters much. There are many students who studied at the Korean language school or came to Korea to get Global Korea Scholarships (GKS). There were also students that could not even speak English, but they have done the mentoring successfully and I have seen many instances like that. I think language may be useful but not the fundamental factor required for the SMP mentor. What is important is understanding and knowing the values of the mentoring program.
Q9. Any last words for students interested in CMP and SMP?
GH: I hope students come to participate with a healthy and cheerful outlook. Please do not come thinking of casual one-off meetings or thinking of this as a way to bulk up your resume. If you do so, you would be taking away a precious, joyful opportunity for someone else. CMP and SMP are really good programs where you can receive official support in adjusting to school life and experience personal growth in various ways; I hope students seize the opportunity to experience this mentoring program.
YL: In short, I hope students apply without feeling burdened. I don’t think having specific goals is important in CMP and SMP. It is different from joining a club or academic conference where you have an explicit purpose like making more friends or learning something. I think it is important to put in your best effort in the mentoring program and participate in every activity with sincerity. I hope future participants will learn the meaning of mentoring through this program.
