Park Awarded Best Graduate Essay
Sunyoung Park, mathematics education doctoral student, was awarded the Best Graduate Essay in the 2023 International Student Essay Contest at MSU.
The Office for International Students and Scholars at MSU has sponsored a writing contest for 7 years now, resuming in 2023 after a 3-year hiatus during COVID. Interested international student writers were charged with sharing some of their experiences, encounters with cultural differences, and insights and emotions during their time as an MSU student. The writing prompt was: “Finding My Place at MSU.” How have you found a sense of belonging at MSU? What activities or groups of people have become your community in East Lansing? As you adjust to your studies and your life at MSU, what are you learning about yourself?"
Sunyoung’s essay is a beautiful letter to her friend Merve Kursav, a former PRIME mathematics education
doctoral student who graduated last year.
"Sometimes writing can be meditation for self-care," noted Sunyoung. "While writing this essay, I had a joyful and meaningful time reflecting on my life at MSU. Now I am so happy that my story has a chance to travel others' minds. I hope it comes across to anyone who is trying to balance multiple identities."
In addition to Sunyoung who received the Best Graduate Essay, Qasim Zulfiqar received
the Best Overall Essay, and Gaby Cuéllar the Best Undergraduate Essay.
The winning essays also help fellow students and the MSU community to walk a mile in the writer’s shoes – to know and appreciate what it is like for the writer to be an international student at MSU today.
Congratulations to Sunyoung on her award and writing accomplishments! We are so happy you are a part of our math ed community in PRIME!
