Note of Thanks from a Former Student . . .

Raymond Rohne

(Image from MADE)

The semester started yesterday, and when I opened the door to my office, I spied a small, square envelope on the floor. It had been slipped under my door sometime between yesterday and a week ago, when I had gone onto the Ewha campus for a meeting. I switched on the light and computers, settled into my chair, popped the plastic lid off my cappuccino, and opened the envelope. The note was from a student I'd had at Yonsei a few years back. He was one of my best students, hardworking and serious, and he took a couple of courses under me, both of them touching on Islamism.

I once asked him the reason for his interest in that topic. To my surprise, he explained that he had been a student in a New York City middle school not far from the World Trade Center and had evacuated during the attacks on September 11, 2001. When school again started, he returned to a class in which several students had lost a father or mother. If I recall, he subsequently transferred to a different school, but I don't clearly remember. I happened to see him a couple of months ago, when I wrote him a recommendation. Anyway, here's what he wrote by way of information and thanks:

Dear Professor Hodges,

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for writing my letter of recommendation. This August I completed my graduation and will attend the Chinese University of Hong Kong this September to pursue my MA in Chinese Studies. In Hong Kong I will focus on Chinese business and art, and hopefully link the two. Upon my graduation I will attempt an MBA program. Thank you again for the fond memories at Yonsei. Hope to see you in the future.

Sincerely,

Raymond Rohne

Since I didn't get to see Ray before he left, I can only now say, "You're welcome." I wish him best of luck in his business studies. He seems to be an energetic, entrepreneurial young man, already starting a business, as you see from the picture above -- or will see if you follow the link to MADE, where you can read about an investment group founded by him and a friend.

Or is it an 'artful' website project for a course in business? It remains partly under construction. Judge for yourself . . .