There is a saying that “Club activity is a flower of university life.” It was derived because of the experiences it provides and the opportunity to meet many other people, and it cannot be filled with the major study. Students join clubs about their interests, like watching movies, performing in bands, sports, and so on. 

There are many clubs at our university. “Channel PNU” interviewed three clubs, Mechatronics, Argreen, and Codecoach, that do unique volunteer activities through what they want to do.

Q. Please introduce your club.

-Mechatronics(ME): Mechatronics is a robot society of the Dept. of mechanical engineering, which began 30 years ago. We have tried to better understand the major by directly participating in robot production and holding the “Mecha Week exhibition” by producing robots every year.

-Argreen(AR): We usually do various activities about art throughout the semester. It is the only fine art club at our university that draws artworks that reflect our concepts and values, holds exhibitions, and communicates with not only PNU students, but also the public, including Busan citizens.

-Codecoach(CO): Codecoach is a coding education volunteering club that started at PNU and targets expansion of software(SW) education opportunities, expansion of SW value, and nurturing SW experts. We are conducting SW education for youths in Busan and Gyeongnam, according to the founding philosophy of providing equal opportunities for SW education to the vulnerable.

Q. Which volunteer work are you doing?

-ME: We have been volunteering for robot education at the ”JAVISION Local Children’s Center” in Yangsan on Friday 2~3 times a month. We explain the principles of parts, like sensors or motors, by assembling a robot education kit with students and helping them to enhance creativity and put it together directly.

-AR: We do not volunteer periodically now, but we did wall paintings three times since 2016. We painted on the old wall of the Eonyang substation in Ulsan, Bangeojin substation, and Yangsan Seochang substation, and restored the vitality of the region. Recently, we progressed face-painting, drawing various characters with “Sanjini,” holding a small exhibition and participatory art with Busan Lotte Gwang-bok, targeting consumers who visited the department store.

-CO: Volunteer activities are divided into two sections: regular education progressed independently and outreached education that cooperates with an external agency. Regular education is the recruitment of students and teachers, production of educational data, promotion of the educational environment, practiced under the leadership of Codecoach. It progresses in the way that university students, who are interested in coding regardless of their major, are selected and educate teenagers after pre-education. Outreach education is the way that clubs visit the spot of education. We have a class through the curriculum of formal education or contents requested by the institution.  Outreach education’s education contents are more varied than regular education, including Data analysis, AI, project mentoring, and career mentoring.

Q. What is the most difficult thing while volunteering?

-ME: It takes an hour by bus to get to Yangsan, where the children’s center is located, so it is sometimes difficult physically and timely. However, we are having fun, and time goes fast as we proceed with various activities with the children.

-AR: Most of the members are non-major, so essentially, many of them are joining our club to enjoy painting. Some of them feel pressured by the big size of volunteering, but members could lighten the burden by gaining confidence with steady volunteer activities and event participation.

-CO: The problems arising from schedule or meditation of contents are difficult. It is hard because we have to consider each circumstance of the school and code coach. Also, there are many cases of messing up with the plan because of meeting limitations due to COVID-19. But we could maintain our activity thanks to the effort of many people who want to keep volunteering.

Q. What was a worthwhile moment for you, though?

-ME: It was the time of the “Visiting Mecha Week exhibition” last December. We felt so great that the children were fascinated by the works. Additionally, we achieved the glory of the grand prize of the “BEE Hive study group” through this activity.

-AR: We drew cute characters on children’s hands in the last face-painting activity. They were so satisfied with the painting and told us “Thank you.” That made us feel proud.

-CO: When I see the figure of students who enjoy classes and the progress of making rapport, I feel it is  worthwhile to do it. Sometimes, students give me letters on the last day. I was moved by it.

Q. Are there any planned voluntary programs in addition to the current programs?

-ME: We are not planning something new but are now participating in the “Ssok-Ssok camp” from the Korea Foundation for the Advancement of Science and Creativity. It is a donation for an education program for elementary school and middle school students during the vacation, for three days. We have been participating in this program since 2019.

-AR: There is no plan for a volunteering program yet. Because we usually do voluntary services with external contacts, we do not know when the next volunteer work will begin.

-CO: We do coding education volunteer activities the most, so we are not planning to do other programs. We often go for a one-time service if the welfare center or community service center requests it.

Q. What is your directivity for the future?

-ME: We engaged in the “Club contents showcase” at the Lotte department store Gwang-bok on July 9th. From this event, we got interested in activities that can contribute to the community in the provinces. Since our club is for scholarships, we want to study the most. However, it would be better to contribute the result of the research activities to the community in the provinces.

-AR: The voluntary work that has been stopped by COVID-19 restarted with the cooperation with “Lotte”. We hope to do activities in the future as motivation.

-CO: I think the meaning of SW education is that students can think independently, and embody their expectations. There are many regions in Busan where SW education is not enough due to educational conditions. We hope to continue expanding opportunities for SW education as we keep volunteering for lots of regions and institutions.

Reporter Kang Ji-Won

Translated by Lee Yoon-Seo