THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, June 18, 1994 TAG: 9406180239
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MIKE KNEPLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: 940618 LENGTH: NORFOLK
The Chesapeake resident is an Old Dominion University professor, specializing in management and international business.
{REST} But two months ago, Chung approached other members of the Tidewater Korean Association with his idea.
He wanted the local Korean-American community to establish a college scholarship fund for low-income Norfolk students of any race or ethnic origin.
``As a nation, we are losing talent to the inner-city problems, so in a sense, it has become a problem for everybody,'' Chung explained. ``When I look at the future, I wonder what's going to happen to this country if our kids are not competitive in the job market and then in international competition.''
Chung was mindful of the sometimes strained relations between Korean-Americans and inner-city blacks in other communities. But, he said, the scholarship was not created to head off such problems in South Hampton Roads, where there are only about 1,000 Korean-Americans.
``We're just ordinary citizens helping one another to make this world just a little bit better place to live,'' said Chung's wife, Hope.
In fact, the association did not ask for the race of applicants.
Even so, Paul G. Simmonds, a black who served on the scholarship committee, said the effort would foster good feelings. ``I think a bridge is built any time that you try to do something for someone else, regardless of who it is,'' said Simmonds, an associate professor of management at ODU. ``The money is good, but you have to go beyond the money. It's the issue of building bridges, one with another. We depend on each other.''
The main criteria for scholarship applicants were: excellent grades, acceptance in college and a yearly family income of less than $20,000.
Chung raised enough for a $1,000 scholarship. Then, Chung and his scholarship committee were so impressed with the applicants that they decided to award two scholarships. An additional $1,000 was raised from an anonymous donor.
On Friday, the association presented scholarships to Janice Parker of Booker T. Washington High School and Jennifer Kelly of Lake Taylor High School. Both will go to Virginia Tech.
Parker plans to be a zoo veterinarian because animals gave her joy as she struggled with family hardships. She said she wants to spread similar happiness to others by helping animals stay healthy.
Kelly plans to study a variety of communication fields and also performing arts. She said she is fascinated with the process of turning ideas into film or theatrical productions.
Both students commended the Tidewater Korean Association.
``Very often people see that there is a need but it's not very often they do anything about it,'' Kelly said.
Chung said he wants the scholarship fund to grow.
``People ask me why do I do this,'' he mused. ``My question is, `Why don't they do it?'. . . We are all in this together.''
by CNB