Seong Jae Shin was a sophomore in high school when he watched first-hand the protests in Egypt that defined what came to be known as the Arab Spring in 2010. The South Korea native was living close to the eruption, in Egypt, necessitated by his father’s work.
The experience of witnessing a violent rebellion stayed with him when he returned to South Korea and took up studies at George Mason University’s Mason Korea Campus following two years of compulsory military service. While he declared a major in conflict analysis and resolution, Shin was equally fascinated by diplomacy and international security.
His interest increased when he met Schar School of Policy and Government assistant professor Soyoung Kwon, who was launching the Mason Korea satellite branch of the Center for Security Policy Studies, a two-year-old center created by the Schar School’s director of the Master's in International Security program Ellen Laipson. The center works to create multidisciplinary research in partnerships with government, military, think tank, and private sector experts and to publish policy-relevant monographs and literature.
“International security has been my interest from high school,” Shin said. “Being raised in the region where there are terrorist activities and being born in a separated country made me want to study international security. It is the field that can help search for the most realistic way to manage or even resolve global challenges.”
Among other things, Shin assisted Kwon in preparing the 2018 summer delegation of Schar School professors who participated in forums in Song-do and Seoul, delivering research on international security.
“[Shin’s] strengths, to name a few, are his global experience and knowledge, passion for learning, good work ethic and leadership,” said Kwon.
Like many Mason Korea students, Shin spent two semesters at Mason’s Fairfax, Va., campus, and graduated from Mason in December 2018. He’s been accepted for post-graduate studies at the Paris Institute of Political Studies.
“After that, I hope to work for a relevant [intergovernmental organization] or find a government job in Korea,” he said.