Adjunct Teaching Award AY 20-21
Yookyung Lee, Department of World Languages
The simplified title of “Adjunct Instructor” belies Korean Instructor Yookyung Lee’s multifaceted commitment to Boise State University. More aptly, “Phenomenal Teacher,” “Grant Recipient,” “Korea Club Faculty Advisor,” “Innovative Korean Course Developer,” and “Invited Zoom Lecture Organizer” depict Yookyung’s far-reaching dedication to the Department of World Languages and Boise State University.
The Korean Studies Minor exists thanks in great part to Yookyung who teaches three of the five required courses and two electives. Her student evaluations for Korean 101-102 are described by her chair as “consistently stellar”—an impressive fact given that beginning students learn to read a new alphabet, Hangul. Her dedication is frequently applauded by her students: “[Yookyung] is amazing, cares about her students, and is the hardest working professor I have seen at BSU.” Another notes, “She was phenomenal […] she clearly worked harder than any of us. She is an amazing teacher.”
In 2019, Yookyung researched, applied for and received a competitive Korean Foundation Grant for Korean Studies course programming. With this grant, Yookyung created a new 3-credit course, “Korean Culture & Civilization,” taught in English and cross-listed with multiple departments across campus. In Spring 2021, Yookyung will offer a 3-credit version of her very popular 1-credit “Korean Pop Culture & Society” course. Not surprisingly, perhaps, Yookyung has already applied for another Korea Foundation Grant in order to continue offering these courses.
As Korea Club Advisor, Yookyung organizes “K-Pop Night,”, “Experience Korean Food Culture: Making and Eating Kimbap,” an annual Korean Thanksgiving BBQ Party and, recently, undeterred by COVID-19, three invited Zoom lectures by Korea scholars from around the country. Finally, related to 2020’s challenges, last summer, she took not one but two 5-week instructional technology courses–yet another testament to her unequivocal dedication. For these and many other reasons too numerous to name, Yookyung is most deserving of the Adjunct Teaching award.