8/23/10 — Is it possible for one individual to bring together a group of people separated by cities, states, and a span of 28 years? Professor Chesook Ho, formerly of Ewha Woman’s University in Seoul, Korea, proved she could be that bridge when 18 of her former students met in Northridge, California to see their old teacher once again.
Professor Ho, who retired in 1995, founded the Educational Technology department at Ewha in 1963. Whenever she traveled to Los Angeles to visit her mother and brothers on summer and winter vacations, her former pupils would request to see her individually. She first turned her high demand into a department reunion in 1976, and the meetings have turned into a 34-year tradition.
“No other department meets the way we do,” Professor Ho said. “Other departments have reunions with the class they graduated with, but we have women from my first year of teaching to my last year of teaching.”
Due to their yearly meetings, the women have developed a camaraderie that has endured through life’s ups and downs: They shared their hard times such as health problems and deaths and celebrations such as births, graduations, and weddings.
“When I got married and moved to California 25 years ago, Professor Ho introduced me to the reunions,” Jane Lee, class of 1984 graduate, said. “Through these meetings, I can keep myself updated on my school and keep in touch with my alumni family.”
At the reunion, Professor Ho thanked all her students repeatedly, some who came from San Diego and another from Florida, and she gave them final words of farewell wisdom before they went their separate ways: “Please get along and live happily. Remember, in the end, you only have your family and your friends. I am lucky to have both.”
