제 26 호 A Presentation Contest Is Held at Sangmyung University!
Kicker : SM NEWS
A Presentation Contest Is Held
at Sangmyung University!
By Soi Lee, Cub-Reporter
Picture 1: Before the contest begin, at the Cheonan Campus in Hannuri Hall
A presentation contest was held at the Cheonan Campus in Hannuri Hall No. 109, on May 27, 2025. The presentation topic for this first semester is “Design My Own Major”, and they can choose one of the topics from a new curriculum using our school's academic system and planning a micro major curriculum by converging majors between campuses. One or two Sangmyung University students each team can form excluding the winner of the prize on the second semester 2024. A total of nine teams go to the finals after submitting presentation videos about three to five minutes in the preliminary round. In the finals, each team has to make a ten-minute presentation and participate in the question-and-answer time, and all finalists can receive an award. In addition, all participants receive 15 points for extracurricular programs mileage.
Why This Contest Matters to Students
This contest is not merely a competition. It is an educational experience designed to promote academic autonomy, creativity, and interdisciplinary thinking. In a rapidly changing educational curriculum, students are increasingly being asked to take ownership of their learning. By participating in this contest, students are given a rare opportunity to analyze their academic environments and develop personalized pathways that reflect both their interests and career goals. Moreover, the contest helps students to improve crucial soft skills such as public speaking, teamwork, critical thinking, and project planning. This is an important experience for students to turn abstract academic ideas into actionable curriculum proposals for students. The competition also plays a unique role in fostering a collaborative academic culture. Participants often consult with professors, peers, and alumni while developing their projects, thus promoting interdepartmental engagement and cross-campus interaction which is one of the key objectives of Sangmyung University’s micro major initiative.
Picture 2: Professor Hyewon Lim’s general review before the award
An Interview with Professor Hyewon Lim
To better understand the intentions and values behind the presentation contest, the following questions were asked to the organizing professor: Hyewon Lim before the contest was held. At first, I asked the professor, who is the faculty of The Gyedang Cultural Education Center and takes charge of general education classes such as Thinking and expression, and Collaborative Communication, why chose this topic “Design My Own Major” as the theme of this contest and what are the unique strengths or advantages that distinguish this contest from other student activities. In response, she replied that this year the importance of self-directed learning has increased as autonomous and convergence majors have expanded further. Also the topic of the contest so far has not been a good topic to capture my story, but this theme was selected by discussing with the Seoul campus faculty because it is expected that the presenters will be able to naturally develop their self-directed learning skills by having more diverse concerns about my career path. And through this competition, you can develop your speaking skills, the most important ability in communication and self-expression, and improve your information processing ability and critical thinking skills in the process of collecting and organizing data for presentations. Additionally, the professor said, "I think writing is the basis of speaking," and gave some tips to get a good result in the competition that it is most important to read and write a lot consistently because speaking skills improve in a step-by-step way.
Editor's Note: Advice for First Time Participants
Many students may hesitate to participate in the presentation contest for the first time because they do not know how to prepare for it. Therefore, I would like to give you tips based on what I felt when I participating as an audience panel in 2025 presentation contest. Choosing a topic that suits your personal interests or future goals will make the process more interesting and manageable. Since this competition focuses on designing academic curriculum, an in-depth review of Sangmyung University's academic system and course catalog is an essential first step. Teamwork is also an important factor. For a team of two, sharing responsibilities according to each member's strengths, such as research, design, and public speaking, can increase both efficiency and overall quality. Also, successful participants emphasize the importance of expecting a Q&A session in the final round. Above all, as the professor emphasized, the key to the presentation is communication with the audience, The presenter must be fully aware of the content so that you can successfully convey what you want to say to the audience. Practicing answers to potential questions in advance will not only reduce anxiety but also strengthen the depth of your presentation. Finally, during the preparation process, consulting with a professor or academic advisor can provide valuable insights. Their feedback can help refine the structure and logic of your proposal, making your presentation more consistent and persuasive. For many students, the competition can be an opportunity beyond just extracurricular activities to explore academic creativity, build confidence, and take the lead in shaping your own education.
Picture 3: A scene in which students receive prizes.
To the Students Who Are Hesitant to Participate
Although the first semester 2025 contest has finished, Sangmyung University’s presentation contest is held every semester. Students can participate not only as presenters but also as audience members during the final round. Audience participation offers exposure to various student-designed academic plans and encourages creative thinking about one’s own education. This event is an opportunity for all Sangmyung university students to engage with academic topics in a new and practical way. Whether as a contestant or a listener, students are encouraged to take part in next semester’s contest. The professor said to undergraduate students who are still hesitant about participating that is one of the few opportunities to develop their speaking skills before entering society, and said that the time and sincerity they devote to completing the presentation successfully will be a good manure for me to step up, and it will be of great help later if I challenge myself courageously. Also, a presenter who participated in the contest for three years steadily recommended that students participate in the contest with interest because it was a valuable opportunity to get detailed feedback from professors and students after finishing presentations that could not be received in ordinary education classes, and because of this, I was able to grow further. A great attempt brings great results, so if you are still hesitating, I recommend you to look up the relevant website content.
