Nearly a month has passed since the start of the Spring semester, and for freshmen and returning students alike, an essential part of school life is student clubs.

All formally registered student clubs at KAIST are currently managed by The KAIST Undergraduate Student Clubs Union (hereafter “Clubs Union”). The Clubs Union manages the clubs’ activities regularly, orchestrates events that bringing together all clubs and student organizations, and introduces them to the student community.

This month, we met Hyukwon Kwon, the President of the Clubs Union, to discuss his goals and vision for the Clubs Union.  

Congratulations on your inauguration! Please introduce yourself. 

Hello, I am Hyukwon Kwon, the President of the Clubs Union. I am also a part of the Student Space Committee and the Undergraduate Student Council of the Computer Science department, and spent time as a member of MUSE and Khartes.

How did you begin your journey in the Clubs Union? What made you decide to run for the presidency?

I started as a member of the Clubs Union in 2022 after a senior I met in MUSE recommended me to join. I didn’t really think about leaving since then as there wasn’t a reason to. And here I am, as one of the oldest members.

Last fall, I made a sudden decision to run for presidency as no other members wanted to, and the Clubs Union couldn’t continue operating if there wasn’t a president. I also trusted my Vice President, Hyunjun Cho, who I believed would back me up throughout my first journey as the President.

How would you define the Clubs Union?

It could mean two things — the union of all the clubs or the executive team that does practical work related to them. In the case of the former definition, the Clubs Union would mean a group of clubs, which carry out their own activities. The latter indicates the team responsible for managing and regulating clubs to ensure the smooth operation of all clubs, as well as running services and events for clubs.

What are some student club-related problems you would like to tackle?

The issue that stands out to me the most is the club-related facilities, which are old and insufficient. Most club rooms are very old, and some are so small that not all members can fit in. We also have fewer club rooms available than we should; we speculate that there will be 83 formally registered clubs, but there are only about 60 club rooms. We have already raised the issue to the school.

Another issue I see is regarding the recruitment process. Clubs play a crucial role in students’ university life, but the time given for a student to ponder about clubs is limited. We did provide information through the Clubs Fair, as well as the Club Introduction Booklet, but I understand that this might not be sufficient for the freshmen. We are contemplating whether a project might help tackle this. 

What are some values that you or the Clubs Union cherish?

The Clubs Union and I consider our main value to be “happiness” — we are all working hard to ensure students’ happy lives in clubs. For some, university life may just be represented by numbers, but it is an important page of life for many others. We wish that the page would be a special one for all of you.

What are some difficulties leading the Clubs Union?

The most difficult part is probably liaising with the clubs. I think it is natural that the duties we require the clubs to fulfill are regarded as troublesome, but our support and services often go unnoticed and are taken for granted. Though I understand this, I feel a little hurt when I hear people complain about the Clubs Union.

What was one thing you were proud of during your time at the Clubs Union?

It would probably be the recent Clubs Fair, as we have resolved major weaknesses that we have identified during last year’s Clubs Fair. We could also run the event with the student organizations by cooperating with the Undergraduate Students Association. Observing the positive changes that were so obvious to me, I was elated while walking along the booths.

Other than that, I feel rewarded when clubs encourage and thank the Clubs Union or when the members of the Clubs Union tell me that they do not regret joining the executive team.

Many international students are interested in clubs, too. Are there any policies in place for them?

We always welcome foreign students as we value happiness and diversity. Despite most of the discussions within the Clubs Union being conducted in Korean, we are trying to develop a translator system using ChatGPT for better communication. Moreover, we try our best to help with any foreign representatives, so please feel free to contact us!

Is there anything you would like to say to the students as the Clubs Union president?

I sincerely hope that all clubs have been having a great time since the start of school. We are working hard to ensure your happiness and will continue to work even harder, so when you get a chance, please leave some warm words of encouragement for us!