The late first Chairman Sohn Se-ho, Chairman Sohn Gi-rak and CEO Sohn Dong-gi of Samyang Abrasives ‘three generations of donations’
Continued donations for over 20 years for university development funds and student scholarships
Also donated 130 cultural relics such as ceramics and ancient documents to the YU Museum
[Jun 17, 2015]
<from fourth on left, YU President Noh Seok-kyun, Chairman Sohn Gi-rak, CEO Sohn Dong-gi>
A local company made news by continuing ties with YU over three generations. This is the story of Samyang Abrasives Co., a manufacturer specializing in grinding wheels located in Yeongcheon, Gyeongbuk.
The father and son of Samyang Abrasives Co., which donated university development funds and scholarships to YU for over 30 years, Chairman Sohn Gi-rak (77) and CEO Sohn Dong-gi (53) visited YU at 11:30 a.m. on the 17th.
Chairman Sohn met with YU President Noh Seok-kyun and said, “I am always thankful of YU for allowing us to share the cultural artifacts that my father collected throughout his lifetime with the community,” and added, “We will provide our support to contribute, even if it is just a little, to help the university develop into the region’s best university and to help students study.”
Chairman Sohn donated a total of 85 million won since 2004 in the university development fund and ‘Hecht scholarship’. When including scholarships given to the students of the School of Materials Science and Engineering prior to 2004, donations to the development fund and scholarships for YU exceed way past 100 million won over the past 20 plus years.
The ties of YU and Samyang Abrasives go back to the time when the late Suam Sohn Se-ho, first chairman of Samyang Abrasives and the father of the current Chairman Sohn, was in office. Following the wishes of his father, Chairman Sohn donated a total of 132 cultural artifacts including 118 ceramics including pottery from the Three Kingdoms Period, Goryeo Celadon, and Joseon Blue and White Porcelains, and 12 ancient documents to the YU Museum in 1976. There is another sector in the YU Museum containing only the donations of Suam, which are on permanent display.
The ‘Hecht Scholarship’, which Chairman Sohn donates to every year, is a scholarship program with a 29 year tradition. The ‘Hecht Scholarship’ traces its history back to 1968 when Chairman Sohn was studying at Alfred University in Albany, NY in the US and became brother-like friends with a fellow student of engineering, Norman Hecht (77), honorary professor at the university of Dayton, Ohio and ties with Dr. Jang Sung-do (77, senior member of the Korean Academy of Science and Technology).
In the spring of 1986, Professor Norman Hecht and Dr. Jang Sung-do attended an international conference held in Japan. At this time, Dr. Jang organized a special lecture for Professor Hecht to hold at Dr. Jang’s alma mater, YU. Dr. Jang was among the first batch of graduates from the University of Daegu, which later became Yeungnam University. As a token of his appreciation, Professor Hecht donated the entire fee he received for his lecture as a scholarship. Since then, his fellow scholars and long-time friends decided to donate scholarship for junior students of engineers and Chairman Sohn has still kept his promise.
YU President Noh Seok-kyun said, “As the president of the university and a person of the community, I respect the practicing of ‘noblesse oblige’ by Chairman Sohn’s family who strived for the development of the community and university,” and added, “YU will also do its best to become a university that fulfill its social responsibilities taking to example such spirit.”
