On the Road with Admissions

Tennille Haegele and Jennifer Tkacz
in Seoul, South Korea

The School of Public Policy’s assistant director of graduate admissions, Tennille Haegele, has returned from her whirlwind recruiting trip abroad. For two weeks, Haegele traveled to many cities in South Korea and China where she met with prospective applicants. The following are excerpts from her travel blogs:

Thursday, March 20, 2008
We Are Going International!

The Admissions Office is embarking on its first
recruitment trip abroad. I will be arriving in Seoul, South Korea, on March 23. My visits will include Yonsei University, the Korean-American Fulbright Commission, and Seoul National University, as well as the American International Education Foundation's Recruitment Fair. From Seoul, I fly to Busan, South Korea, for a two-day visit that will include attending a recruitment fair. From Busan, I fly to Shanghai, China, and will take part in a large recruitment fair on April 6, as well as visit some of Shanghai's top education centers.

I am excited to be taking this trip on behalf of SPP Graduate Admissions and look forward to meeting prospective applicants in both countries. As my trip progresses, look for further blog posts detailing my travels!

Friday, March 28, 2008
My Travels in Seoul, South Korea

This is my first blog post since arriving in South Korea for my inaugural international recruitment trip. Seoul is a great place to start. It is a vibrant city with plenty of history but also has a modern "metro-feel" to it. I began my visit with a trip to Yonsei University where I met with students and faculty in the College of Social Studies' Department of Public Affairs. I also spoke with staff from Underwood International College, which is one of Yonsei University's youngest programs. Today, I visited the Korean-American Fulbright Commission, which assists Koreans in their quest to study in the United States.

These visits have been wonderful opportunities to promote George Mason University and the School of Public Policy. Explaining in detail the application process for international students, financial assistance opportunities that SPP offers, and the dynamic course work that pervades our school's curriculum is very satisfying and makes me eager to attend the American International Education Fair this weekend….

Friday, April 4, 2008
Leaving South Korea

As I write this blog, I'm sitting in Busan, South Korea's international airport on my way to Shanghai, China. Surrounded by mountains and near the water, Busan is a beautiful city along Korea's east coast. I represented George Mason University and the School of Public Policy at the [American International Education Fair] on April 1 and, although a smaller venue than Seoul, was able to talk to prospective applicants extremely interested in studying in the United States.

Many people were pleased to find that not only is our campus near Washington, D.C., but we are also Metro-accessible. Both Seoul and Busan have extensive metrosystems and this became an important point in all my discussions with the people of Korea because many use public transportation on a daily basis to get around their respective cities….

Wednesday, April 9, 2008
My Travels in China

Shanghai is an amazing city with towering skyscrapers set against traditional Chinese gardens and architecture. The people of China have been very welcoming, and I've had the opportunity to speak not only with prospective applicants from China during the Shanghai fair on April 6, but I also had the opportunity to tour the U.S. Campus Center the next day. The U.S. Campus Center is a nonprofit organization, stationed here in Shanghai and created to assist Chinese students in their quest to study in the United States, as well as build relationships with U.S. high schools, colleges, and universities.

… Look for my next blog where I will write a Q&A section, detailing some of the more habitual topics I heard from prospective applicants in both Korea and China.

To read the full blogs, visit http://policy.gmu.edu/blog/.