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Alumni carry forward the dental school tradition of donating to their alma mater on their 30th graduation anniversary
“Giving back to the university that shaped who we are today”
Donation funds the "Kyung Hee Dental Education Transformation Project" to innovate dental education

The College of Dentistry’s Class of 1996 (24th Graduating Class) donated 103 million won in development funds to commemorate their 30th graduation anniversary. The gift presentation ceremony was held on Monday, June 29, in Room 213 of the Main Building. Attendees included President Jinsang Kim, Vice President for Medical Affairs Jeong-Taek Woo, and Director of External Affairs Do Kyun Kim, alongside alumni representatives from the graduating class: Dean of the College of Dentistry Yong-Dae Kwon, Chan-Yong Eom (Director of Bangbae Bon Dental Clinic), Young-Hoon Lee (Director of Merden Dental Clinic), and Won-Kyung Kim (Director of Top Dental Clinic).

The College of Dentistry maintains a proud tradition where each class comes together to contribute to the university’s development fund on their 30th graduation anniversary. The 45 members of the 24th Graduating Class (Class of 1996; matriculated in 1990) previously raised around 30 million won to mark their 20th anniversary in 2016. Convening again for their 30th milestone reunion, the class launched an additional fundraising initiative with the goal of surpassing a cumulative total of 100 million won.

"The College of Dentistry has fostered a remarkable culture of giving built on the close-knit bonds among its alumni," said President Jinsang Kim. "To honor our dental alumni's enduring commitment to their junior colleagues and future students, we will continue striving to elevate Kyung Hee's stature even further."

"Celebrating our 30th anniversary is especially meaningful because one of our own classmates is currently serving as dean," remarked alumnus Young-Hoon Lee. "Our class simply felt that stepping up was our responsibility." Alumnus Chan-Yong Eom added: "Seeing alumni from other institutions rally together to support their schools motivated us to show our own strength. Our classmates joined in wholeheartedly, allowing us to achieve results that exceeded our initial expectations." Alumnus Won-Kyung Kim reflected: "I didn't fully appreciate it as an entering student, but now, standing where I am in my career, I feel immense gratitude to the university that shaped who I am. I had long wanted to give back, and this reunion gave us the opportunity to unite our efforts. Our class remains eager to step forward whenever we can support the university's growth."

This gift will directly support the "Kyung Hee Dental Education Transformation Project." Dean Kwon explained: “Next year, the College of Dentistry will celebrate its 60th anniversary. While cutting-edge innovations such as artificial intelligence are rapidly reshaping clinical dentistry, traditional curricula have struggled to keep pace with these real-world advancements. Dental education must chart a forward-looking path aligned with future demands. Through this project, we will spearhead reforms in dental education to empower our students to adapt proactively to a rapidly shifting healthcare landscape in this era of civilizational transition."