KU students place at the Sixth Midwest Korean Speech Contest

LAWRENCE — Two Jayhawks placed at the Sixth Midwest Korean Speech Contest, which took place April 5 in Chicago.

Organized by the Chicago Korean Education Center (Consulate General of the Republic of Korea), the contest is one of the largest Korean language competitions in the region, aimed at promoting Korean language and culture among college students.

The competition is open to students enrolled in a Korean language course at a Midwestern higher education institution. Colleges are able to send one contestant for each level. This year, the event drew 40 participants from 19 Midwestern colleges.

KU students won third place in two categories: Melia Whitney, a senior from Olathe, in the beginner level; and Henri Groves, senior from St. Louis, in the advanced level.

“Our students represented KU with incredible dedication and effort, preparing for several weeks in advance,” said Eun Ah Cho, assistant professor in the Department of East Asian Languages & Cultures. “We are so proud of their achievement.”

KU offers Korean language classes ranging from Beginning Korean I to 700-level classes on modern texts in the Korean language and a deeper dive into various topics using Korean texts.

“KU students have performed exceptionally well in recent years, winning prizes several years in a row — demonstrating the strength of our Korean language program,” Cho said.

KU offers nearly three dozen languages spread among eight academic departments. Moreover, KU is one of only 13 universities in the nation to have four or more federally funded centers, like the Center for East Asian Studies, that are dedicated to international area studies.