“Prepare for the future and become free but responsible adults.” I welcome all of our new students who are beginning a new stage of life at Yonsei University at a time when all of Creation is being reborn. I would also like to congratulate the parents of our new students who have supported their children and led them to Yonsei. A university is a place in which scholars gather to study natural and human phenomena and to pass on their knowledge to the next generation. It also serves as a space for establishing values and solutions required by our society. In a university, free thought will flourish and create a future full of possibilities and potentials. You have now become university students who will participate in this work of endless change and infinite possibility. You have also become part of the Yonsei community. Yonsei University has provided an education based on the Lord’s dictum that “the truth will set you free” to create a harmony between sincerity and change, diversity and communication, individual virtues and social values. We have always been proud of our legacy and we believe we have lived up to our tradition. Especially in recent years, we have worked to establish Yonsei’s status as the best university in Korea and an internationally acclaimed university. With the Songdo Global Academic Complex, Yonsei will pioneer a model for globalization. We are also moving steadily toward our goals of ranking in the international top 100 by 2012 and producing a Nobel Laureate. This is the Yonsei you have become a part of. The Danish futurologist Rolf Jensen has predicted the decline of the information society and the rise of the dream society. The future will be an era of management of dreams through imagination. I would like to give you some advice to help you nurture your dreams. First, you must use your time as a student to prepare yourself for your future. In order to live a fulfilling life after graduation, you must spend your time in college wisely. Plan your time responsibly and make the best use of your time. By doing so, you will be able to become both free and responsible. Second, you must put your effort into exploring the world of ideas and learning. You should also be bold in expanding your imagination. If you possess knowledge and expertise, you will be acknowledged all over the world. If you develop you creativity, you’ll find yourself at the top of the world someday. Third, turn your eyes to the world. Everything in the world functions at a global level. You will become the leaders of this world. Accordingly, you must always think and see things with the world in mind. In order to communicate with the world, you must also study foreign languages. Yonsei will support all your efforts toward globalization. Fourth, we encourage you to put into practice the spirit of serving your neighbors and giving to the community. Our knowledge must be used not just for ourselves but for all our neighbors and those around the world who need our help. At Yonsei, we provide various opportunities for community service, which will give you a most memorable and rewarding experience. In the four years ahead of you, you will learn from excellent professors and transform yourself into potential leaders of the world. As President, I will do my best to realize our vision of “Yonsei, the First and the Best”. I will also be a President who shares joy and hardship with the student body. May God’s blessing be with you all during your time with us. March 3, 2008 Yonsei University President Kim Han-Joong