uni'alumni 2013_ENG

ALUMNI ABROAD: SHIN-HO KANG ALUMNI CLUB KARLSRUHE Gaining New Insight Dr. Shin-Ho Kang has remained in contact with and provided longstanding support for the University of Freiburg ever since completing his course of study in the 1950s. The booster asso- ciation Alumni Freiburg e.V. has now officially recognized him for his great commitment to the university: At the general meeting in 2012, the members selected Kang as the first honorary member of the association. In 1956 Kang traveled from Seoul, South Korea, to Hamburg to purchase machines for his father’s pharmaceuti- cal company. He decided to stay in Ger- many and continue his study of medicine in Freiburg, where he earned his doctorate in internal medicine in 1958. He then returned to Korea and assumed the position of managing director at his family’s company, which he later took over as owner. In the fol- lowing years Kang held many important posts in trade associations, including the chairmanship of the Federation of Korean Industries. The 85-year-old still pays regular visits to his alma mater in the Black Forest today and supports Alumni Freiburg e.V. projects. In the past years he laid the foundation for the Freiburg Alumni Endowment, which is designed to secure the university’s financial future. He is a driving force at the Alumni Club Korea, with over 250 mem- bers the largest University of Freiburg alumni club. Kang has advocated exchange between Germany and Korea for over five decades. In 2005 he re- ceived the Grand Merit Cross of the Federal Republic of Germany for his commitment. When the University of Freiburg conferred the distinction of Honorary Senator on him in 2006, Kang summed up his intercultural experiences as a stu- dent in Germany: He sees work ethic, honesty, and the quality of being able to keep promises as the main virtues that shape the bond between his native country and Germany. Sebastian Jochum Gabriele Pattberg recently took over as president of the Alumni Club Karlsruhe. She studied political science and history at the University of Freiburg, completed her practical training at Süd- westrundfunk in Baden-Baden, and worked as a television journalist for the public-service broadcaster ARD. Chris- tina Nickweiler asked her what plans she has for future club activities. uni’alumni: Ms. Pattberg, you have a successful career to look back on. How did you manage to reconcile the demands of your job with your private life. Gabriele Pattberg: My life as an ARD television journalist was very stressful, but I still managed to find time for family and friends. Whenever I got the chance, I went on vacation, particularly in France, the USA, and Canada. Why do you support Alumni Freiburg? I am interested in meeting people. The association gives me a chance to gain new insight into different walks of life. Be- ing an alumnus means more than just going to social gatherings, ﬁnding old friends one studied with, and meeting new peo- ple who studied at the university at differ- ent times. It also means maintaining close contact with one’s old university. The goal should be to strengthen the sense of community between current and former students. That would help the university to enhance its public proﬁle even more. What ideas do you have for the Alumni Club Karlsruhe? The program should be composed of different types of events. I could imagine organizing lectures by alumni on current issues from business, politics, culture, and society. Excursions to companies that employ former students would also be interesting. The alumni could report on their daily work life or present new developments. Basically, what I am inter- ested in is gaining new insight through in- terdisciplinary exchange. The meetings should offer something special and breathe new life into the alumni network: Getting alumni interested in the develop- ment of their former university is a way to strengthen the bond between the university and society at large – and it would also be nice if the network could start offering career opportunities for students. Calligraphy:Ehret Gabriele Pattberg wants to strengthen the bond between the university and society at the Alumni Club Karlsruhe. Photo: Nickweiler First Honorary Member of Alumni Freiburg Calligraphy:Ehret Dedicated benefactor: Shin-Ho Kang stud- ied in Freiburg in the 1950s – and he still pays regular visits to his alma mater today. Photo: Dong-A 16 Alumni Network uni'alumni 2013

uni'alumni 2013_ENG

Pages