Kookmin University (KMU) held a ceremony to celebrate its 78th anniversary on Mon, Oct.14, 2024, at the Academic Conference Hall of the Administration Hall. During this event, an awards ceremony was also held to honor professors who have dedicated 10 and 20 years of teaching at the university. In light of this, THE KOOKMIN REVIEW conducted interviews with two of the foreign professors who received the Achievement Award: Professor Bobby and Professor Turnbull.

<Group Question>

Q1. Could you provide a brief introduction of yourself for our readers? 

Bobby: Sure. My name is Bobby, I come from England, and I have been lecturing at KMU since 2005.
Turnbull: I came to KMU in 2001. The campus was much different then. There was no underground parking, several of the buildings we have now were not built, and we were not a ‘cat campus’. My home country was Canada, but since I have been married for 19 years to my Korean wife, Mina, I now consider South Korea my hometown. We also have cats, and one of them came from KMU.

Q2. Could you share your thoughts on receiving the Achievement Award?

Bobby: It is wonderful to have your longevity recognized and rewarded, and to share that success with other faculty members and your family. KMU is such a great place to work, and that is why so many of the KMU faculty stay here for many, many, years. I will be forever grateful for the job I have. 

Turnbull: I was very appreciative of receiving the award. I often wonder what my previous students are doing, and that is what I thought about during the ceremony. It was nice to be in the same place where so many KMU learners have come to study and go on to successful careers. Over the years, I played a small part in developing English skills to help in the development of that success. That was a good feeling during the ceremony. 

Q3. What do you believe has been the driving force that allowed you to teach for such a long time as a professor?

Bobby: I love going to work (even though the commute is long from Songdo, Incheon), I love designing classes, I love the energy on campus, I love the people I work with, I love seeing the evolution of the university, and most of all I love that I get to meet so many students from all over the world. In 20 years, there has NEVER been one day when I thought, “I do not want to go to work today.” Can you imagine that? I am truly, truly blessed!
Turnbull: This is a very easy answer: it is the students. Although the atmosphere, the cats, my colleagues, and the administration have all contributed to my enjoyment at KMU, the students who have come to learn and develop themselves are the most rewarding aspect of my career. And every once in a while, I will get an email from a former student who just wants to say hello. The message I received is so fulfilling and rewarding. So, I guess overall, I have felt great and feel terrific to be a small part of their KMU experience. All of this allows me to feel part of the KMU Community. 

Q4. Have you experienced any challenges during your long time in teaching?

Bobby: I think the most recent challenge I had was during the first semester of 2020 when the pandemic started. I was not fully prepared for remote learning, and I had to quickly learn and adjust to the new situation. However, through these tough challenges, I developed new skills, and in hindsight, these skills have helped me improve as an educator. It was certainly a tough challenge at the beginning, though.

Turnbull: The biggest challenges are feeling up-to-date, new, and fresh. The student culture changes so quickly, with new music favorites, clothes, attitudes, and so much more. I have to be willing to change, adjust, adapt, and then change again. But 
the challenge also keeps my teaching fresh. I never get bored because I keep changing the way I present the lessons to keep up with the next generation of students. It is challenging, but fun.

<Individual Questions for Professor Bobby>

Q5. Your lectures deserve a lot of praise. What do you consider to be the most important aspect of your teaching approach?

Thank you for your kind words about my classes. I think there are several things that are important to me in how I teach. Firstly, I spend a lot of my summer and winter vacations redesigning, improving, and updating my classes to keep the content fresh and interesting for students. Secondly, as the leader of the class, I always strive to create a positive atmosphere in the classroom. My goal is to always provide an environment where students want to come and feel safe, valued, and heard. Thirdly, I love to encourage students and help them do and be better. As an educator, you have to show genuine care for those you are in charge of. A lack of genuine care leads to a lack of motivation 
for those you are there to inspire. Fourthly, I like to express my gratitude to students and thank them for participating and even for simply coming to class (especially the 9 AM students!). There is a lot of power in saying a simple ‘thank you,’ and it really motivates students to want to be there. It also makes their commute more bearable when they know it is appreciat- ed. I tell students that if it (saying ‘thank you’) comes from a place of sincerity, they should never be scared to say it. Finally, I never take it for granted that students choose to take my classes, so I aim to make each and every class a memorable experience. Of course, I often fail in doing that, but I never let that stop me from trying. I follow the mantra “Students might not always remember what you teach them, but they will always remember how you made them feel.” I always hope that, at some point during the semester, students can find joy in my classes.

 Q6. Do you have any particularly memorable experiences from your lectures?

After we started to teach back on campus, I taught a class called ‘Cultural Business Discussions’ for the first time in 2022. In this particular class, I had students from South Korea, China, Indonesia, America, Kazakhstan, Sweden, Hungary, Russia, Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands. During the final class, I was presented with a box of handwritten letters from students expressing their thanks for my classes. I think I helped students to adjust to life back on campus, and they felt grateful to feel energy and life again in a classroom. I must confess, I had a few tears in my eyes as I read through each letter. At the start of every semester, I always read this box of letters as it reminds me of the positive impact I can make. It also encourages and motivates me to do my best. There was one funny omment from a student in his letter where he apologized for missing my class because he went to see Aespa in concert. To be honest, I do not blame him at all! (an Aespa concert sounds way more fun)

Q7. Could you share the particular moments when you feel delighted to have chosen a career in teaching?

I have so many special moments about my time in KMU, that it is difficult to choose one. But the biggest moments occurred when I helped students write necessary documents, i.e. a letter of recommendation, that helped them further their careers. I had one particular student who needed to prepare for a big job in an advertising company. I worked with him to help prepare for the interview and I was delighted when he got the job. That was a special moment for me.

Q8. As 2024 comes to a close, do you have any personal goals you would like to achieve in 2025 as a professor?

Professionally, I just want to help my students develop their English skills to enhance their careers. Personally, I would like to help more with the KMU cats. I have a dream that we could build a better shelter, especially as winter approaches. I had a student in my International Writing Class, who had many great ideas. I really love this campus and want to make it better.