Upholding its spring season tradition that started in 1995 to support local strawberry farms, KAIST annually holds picnics and strawberry parties as students, professors, and staff all gather at the open spaces on campus. This year, the officially organized strawberry party event was held from March 27 to April 2. For convenience, the Student Welfare Committee (SWC) sold strawberries, gimbap, Nutella, and whipped cream on campus where students could pre-order the items. Groups gathered together at lawns behind the Auditorium (E15) and the Main Library (E9), spending quality time with their friends and professors with good food.
Students also enjoyed the beautiful sceneries of the campus as the cherry blossoms were in full bloom during the strawberry party season. As there were many outsiders visiting the campus to enjoy the blossoms, the KAIST Undergraduate Association (UA) recruited students to guide and control the number of visitors to prevent potential accidents from overcrowding.
On April 4, KAIST President Kwang Hyung Lee had a strawberry party, organized by the UA, with Associate Vice President of Student Life and of Student Affairs and Policy Sujin Lee, Dean of KAIST Academy Pilnam Kim, Director of Center for Ethics and Human Rights Sang Ouk Kim, and Director of Global Leadership Center Byungha Shin, along with 26 undergraduate students comprised of the leaders of student organizations and presidents of various department student councils. During this time, students enjoyed lunch with President Lee and frankly delivered opinions on behalf of their organizations and the student community. Some of the issues discussed were the cost-effectiveness of school meals and the need for remodeling of dormitories.
UA President Dongjae Kang claimed, “We organized this event with the hope to encourage active communication between the school and the students without barriers. We are very thankful for all participants, as [the event] successfully fulfilled its purpose and we will continue to actively deliver students’ opinions to the school.”