Song is First Speaker in New Series

Song Suk-Ku, president of Dongguk University in Seoul, Korea, will serve as the first presenter of the newly established International Speaker Series at SHSU.

Song Suk-Ku

Jurg Gerber, director of International Programs at SHSU, envisioned a new speaker series similar to the Distinguished Lecturer Series started by the university in 1980.

The successful Distinguished Lecturer program has already produced several notable American figures to speak on campus, including former President George Bush, opera singer Beverley Sills and astronaut John Young.

Gerber sought to create a speaker series more international in scope.

"The world is becoming progressively smaller. While it was once possible to ignore activities outside of the region in which one lived as being irrelevant, this is no longer the case," Gerber said. "The economy is one example. Decisions made in corporate suites in Asia may affect the job market in East Texas. Crime is another example. Drug smuggling, prostitution, auto theft, and terrorism are just a few examples of crimes that occur in one location that may have worldwide implications.

"An International Lecture Series can assist in teaching our faculty, staff, and students about international issues and how they affect us."

Gerber proposed the International Speaker Series to Vice President of Academic Affairs David Payne who approved it. While Song will be the first international speaker of the series, Gerber said he is not the first scholar from abroad to visit campus.

"The university has greatly expanded its international activities in recent years. For instance, several international scholars visited SHSU last year and gave various presentations," Gerber said. "Dr. Letizia Paoli, a researcher at the Max Planck Institute for International Criminal Law in Freiburg, Germany, and Dr. Krzysztof Krajewski, from Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland, spoke to several audiences. Had it existed at that time they would have been speakers for the International Series."

Gerber said the president of Dongguk University was selected as the first speaker, in part because of the school's pre-existing ties to SHSU.

"Dongguk University and SHSU have been linked in many ways. There are several graduate students in the College of Criminal Justice who have graduated from Dongguk," he said. "A delegation from SHSU, have visited Dongguk and Dr. Frank Fair, a SHSU professor of philosophy, lectured at Dongguk University last year. The visit by Dr. Song is therefore the latest in a series of exchanges."

Gerber said all faculty, staff and students are encouraged to attend Song's presentation. A reception will be held following the lecture in the Alumni Room of the Criminal Justice Center.

Currently no additional speakers for the series have been booked.

However, Gerber said with SHSU's growing interest in making international connections, Song will be the first series speaker, but not the last.

"I expect that there will be many more such visitors in the future."

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SHSU Media Contact: Jennifer Hostutler
Jan. 16, 2003
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