痴补苍诲别谤产颈濒迟鈥檚 experience is a special aspect of student life at the university, rooted in authentic connection and engagement. Undergraduate houses and colleges are led by faculty, with their families and pets, who live in community with students, creating another vibrant layer of learning and community. Meet the university鈥檚 newest faculty heads of house and heads of college in this special series.
, senior lecturer in the department of English, is the faculty head of the
Kim鈥檚 research examines 19th century British literature and Anglo-American literary culture and re-interprets it for scholars and students of diverse nationalities and disciplines. He also studies the histories and conflicting theories of geography as they relate to literature in the 18th and 19th聽centuries.
- Name: Jeong Oh Kim
- 搁别蝉颈诲别苍迟颈补濒听肠辞濒濒别驳别:聽Nicholas S. Zeppos College
- Years at Vanderbilt: 7
- Hometown: Seoul, South Korea
- Favorite song: 鈥淐an鈥檛 Take My Eyes Off You鈥� by Frankie Valli
- Favorite book: Robinson Crusoe (1717)聽by Daniel Defoe
- Favorite food: Spicy pork bulgogi with kimchi
- Favorite spot on campus: Benton Chapel
- What are you most looking forward to for the upcoming academic year? I am excited to host faculty salons with a Korean Bapsang, a culturally rich table talk with a wide array of dishes鈥攙eggie kimbap, steak kimbap, japchae, bulgogi, dumplings and you name it. We can cook them together as a happy cultural experience. Eating always delights our hearts, doesn鈥檛 it鈥攅ating at a dinner table with your beloved members of family, eating with such delectable smells to your nose. I look forward to hearing students鈥� stories of eating and opinions on eating ethically or eating responsibly.
- Why did you want to be a聽faculty聽head of house? I always wanted to engage more closely with my students. I want to be a faculty head who will bring parental care and love to residential college. As a father of my beautiful family, I devote myself to fulfilling the happiness of home. As an educator in classroom teaching, I commit myself to making a safe learning environment for all. I鈥檇 like to provide the real home environment for my students. I hope to become the faculty head who will discuss all aspects of college life and have everyone鈥檚 best intentions at heart.
Jeong Oh Kim, senior lecturer in the department of English, with his family playing Yut Nori in their Zeppos College residence (Harrison McClary/Vanderbilt)
Jeong Oh Kim, senior lecturer in the department of English, with his family playing Yut Nori in their Zeppos College residence (Harrison McClary/Vanderbilt) - What do you value about the聽residential聽college experience? The residential college experience provides students with a safe community and a home environment. As an educator, I have observed that students respect diversity and learn such important skills such as perspective-taking and critical thinking when they belong solidly to safe and collaborative social settings that guarantee opportunities and resources. As a foreign-born student and scholar who loved English literature, I know by heart how essential home is. I couldn鈥檛 stand here without my family鈥檚 love and support. There is nothing like home when one feels tired and loaded with heavy burdens. They can come and rest in this nurturing home of Zeppos. They will be able to renew their strength for tomorrow.
- What does your family think about living on campus?聽My family wholeheartedly supported my decision to serve as a faculty head. They are excited to live on campus. My wife, a lover of gardens, is planning to decorate the patio with plants and flowers; my daughter, who is the soul of my life, will become my next-door neighbor. She will come home from campus to campus; and my last one, who is an eighth grader, is going to explore more into campus on a bike soon.
Jeong Oh Kim, senior lecturer in the department of English, with his wife Yeon (far right) and their children Solmin and Hamin (Harrison McClary/Vanderbilt) - What advice do you have for new and returning students coming to campus? I鈥檇 like to encourage new students and returning students alike to make the best use of what is given at any time. Secondly, I want to say that we study at Vanderbilt not simply for ourselves but for the others鈥攃ommunity, nation and the world; we are here to create a life worthy of ourselves and of the missions Vanderbilt sets for the world through research, education and service. Lastly, but not the least, I鈥檇 like them to find a balance between work and rest. They can go outside for fresh air, spend enough time in nature or write a journal to reflect on everyday life for 15 minutes a day. I hope that our students will learn eventually to take a holistic view of professional and personal life rather than ignore the fact that they have a family, friends or outside interests and commitments.
- What do you love about working at Vanderbilt? I love engaging with my students. Our students are truly gems in our higher education at Vanderbilt. I still remember one of my students saying, 鈥淭his is not a class; we are the family.鈥� I am happy to work in this close-knit intellectual community. I believe that our students are equipped with the 3 VCs鈥擵anderbilt Character, Competence and Compassion. I hope that they will grow and mature into exemplary citizens of the community and their professions.
- Anything else you want people to know about you? Some say I am a family man, gentleman and committed teacher; others say I am funny. And I fancy that I have a quirky sense of humor, though I am not good at breaking the ice. I have found myself making the ice icier, but I can pull a good laugh oftentimes. I enjoy friendship and love playing sports. Why don鈥檛 you come to challenge me to play table tennis? Then, you can see me how I play!
Read about other faculty heads of house in this special series.
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