In Loving Memory of Andrew Jee Hoon Park: Our Memory Book to You In efforts to provide a nonconventional “eulogy” of sorts in the form of a memory book that captures our thoughts and memories of Andrew as a tribute to him and his family, we would like to share our stories, our hopes and wishes as well as our letters to him. Still words cannot adequately express how much he meant to all of us and how very much he will be missed. Our lives, our college and our community will forever be changed as a result of his kindness, the many relationships he formed throughout his time here and all of his diligent work to transform the world around him. In these efforts, we hope to capture the essence of our beloved friend and colleague and to provide comfort to those who have loved him most. There were quite few a weekday nights and weekends that Andrew and I would cross paths at the college and have the opportunity to check in with each other. We shared the experience of being parents in a doctoral program, of trying so hard to learn so much, and doing our best to be our best. He serves as an inspiration to me because despite the heavy load he carried- he had this most genuine, in-the-moment smile. His face would light up whenever he would talk about his family; there was no doubt they were the center of his world. His spirit was kind, his aspirations were inspiring, and his demeanor was simply humbling. He was encouraging to me in very difficult times, and for this I will forever be grateful. It was truly an honor to know him, he will be greatly missed. –Sheila Barnhart Andy was a wonderful friend and colleague who will be sorely missed. His dedication and compassion to the study of older adults is also a major loss to our profession. Andy worked hard; he always seemed to want to give 110% and he was headed to do great things. I will remember him often - especially at GSA. He has left us too soon. –Allison Gibson He had such warm, gentle and encouraging spirit. Many times we ran across each other in the hallway, we shared our unique challenges as international students, and also as doctoral students in the program. Whenever I approached him for suggestions, he was always so kind and generous in sharing and offering advice like a big brother to me. He also helped create a learning community among fellow doctoral students. This year, Andrew helped initiate and create a study group for us to learn an advanced statistical method. It was such a wonderful and supportive environment to learn in as well as a loving group to connect with other students. Andrew was not only a diligent learner himself but also an inspirer and a leader who had encouraged and supported those around him to learn and grow. Andrew taught me that scholarship was about passion, dedication, influencing the world, as well as inspiring people around you. Thank you, Andrew. It was truly an honor to know you and to be influenced by you. You will be forever missed, and your legacy will forever stay! –Yiwen Cao Yiwen and Andrew at the 18th Annual Conference of the Society for Social Work and Research, New Orleans, LA, January, 2015 This past year, Andrew and I shared an office in the College’s basement. I was already at the College when Andrew started as a doctoral student, but our paths rarely crossed because we never had classes together. We always said hello to one another in those first years, but it wasn’t until we shared a smaller space that I started to get to know and see who he was. Andrew and I were often the only two students who spent time in our office. If he wasn’t there when I arrived, it wouldn’t be long before he’d show up. There was always a lot of work to do, but he always had a smile on his face and he always seemed cheerful. I was so impressed by his drive and dedication to finish his candidacy exam and his dissertation. The vision for each step was clearly laid out in charts he made for himself, which neatly hung on a bulletin board next to his workspace. The sticky notes, binders, and books piled high on his desk were an indication of a mind working hard. He recently organized a five-week workshop for doctoral students to practice structural equation modeling, the method of analysis he was hoping to use for his dissertation. Andrew’s organization and detail in putting together this workshop impressed me yet again. It saddens me now to look over and see his chair empty, and to know his hard work has been left unfinished. But if I listen into the silence, I can hear his laughter. He had one of those genuine laughs that only certain people have. It seemed to carry a sweet innocence akin to the unreserved nature of a child; it’s a laugh that would make his whole body shake because it came from his soul. He laughed well and seemingly often in the presence of his peers, and this, to me, is the sign of a life well-lived. It was a blessing to have known Andrew, if only briefly. I know he will be missed by many. My prayers and thoughts remain for his friends and family. My deepest condolences. –Ashleigh Hodge Andrew instructing his fellow classmates in statistics, The Ohio State University College of Social Work, December, 2014 My memories of Andrew as Program 60 Coordinator and friend… with sincere sympathy and gratitude, Julie Maurer April 2015 I first had the pleasure of meeting Andrew in October, 2013 when he and his father, Dr. Suk-Don Park, dropped by my office in Mount Hall. I had been working as the Program 60 Coordinator for OSU for less than a year. I immediately sensed that Andrew and his father shared my passion for lifelong learning, and that they were dedicated scholars. We spoke excitedly about the research possibilities that existed with the program and eagerly scheduled our next meeting. Andrew’s enthusiasm and positivity shone as he volunteered to assist me with designing and implementing the first-ever evaluation of Program 60. He was an excellent Program 60 partner and made significant contributions to the program in the years that followed. The leadership, staff and students in the Office of Distance Education and eLearning benefited from Andrew’s selfless dedication and commitment, and are grateful for his contributions. Over time Andrew and I not only collaborated as scholars on lifelong learning related research, but we grew to be friends, as well. He encouraged my heart when I was feeling unsure of my capabilities while completing my candidacy exam. He said, “Don’t worry! We all feel the same way; no doctoral student is confident in their knowledge.” His words meant the world to me and his support did, too. I was delighted when Andrew shared with me that we have a mutual friend in Hyung Jo Hur. With my recent transition to a new job in the John Glenn College of Public Affairs, my office is next to Hyung Jo’s, and we were recently planning to have Andrew join us for lunch. Sadly, this cannot happen now – and we are, instead, comforting each other as we mourn the loss of our dear friend. Andrew’s generosity and optimism will shine on as he remains in our hearts and our memories. We will keep his spirit alive in this way as we struggle to move forward without him. He was a joy to be around – always. His vision for future global research on the benefits of lifelong learning will continue to inspire me long after I complete my doctoral degree. I am sure many others are inspired by him, as well. Andrew’s commitment to carrying on the scholarship and work of his father and uncle in this field was unwavering. He has left an indelible, positive mark on our OSU community, and on the lives of everyone who had the privilege and honor of knowing him. Andrew was energetic and passionate about everything he did. When he talked about something he was excited about, you couldn’t help but get excited about it, too. He also valued personal relationships; every colleague was also a friend. I smiled every time I received one of his group emails that started out, “Hi Buddies!” Andrew recently initiated a study group in which I took part. But true to his values, we didn’t just study the material. He truly wanted each student to learn and benefit from the group, and therefore created an atmosphere in which we could encourage and support each other during the process of learning He approached the group like he approached everything in his life: with enthusiasm, energy, fun, and laughter. I am so glad I knew him, even so briefly. –Jessica Linley something new. Who could make a complicated statistical method fun? Andrew could! Chang, Xiafei, Michelle, Donna, Marissa, Rob and Andrew at Marissa’s house for our White Elephant Christmas Gift Exchange, December, 2014 (Andrew and his wife brought the best White Elephant gift by far. If you ask her nicely, Xiafei may even be willing to let you see it). Andrew plays a role of brother in my life. He taught me how to adjust into a foreign country and academic life during those three years. I am encouraged by his passion on knowledge, as well as his responsibility for life and his family. When I think of giving up, or just live an easy life, I always think of Andrew, who gives me endless motivation to keep on going, and who generously offers me the affirmation on my research work. In addition to the influence of my personal life, Andrew contributed a lot to the strong emotional bonding among our cohort. Without his work on organizing and initiating, I could not imagine that we would connect so closely with each other. Andrew, wish you live peacefully with God! –Xiafei Wang Andrew, Michelle and Xiafei at Kaya Grill, October, 2012 (with Guijin, Chang and Rob) Andrew is a great father and a very nice person. Other than taking courses together from our department, I had a chance to take a statistics class with him in another department. At that time, we worked on homework together every week and reviewed materials before exams. He always told me how much he missed his wife and daughter. When we moved to the candidacy phase, he was the pioneer of our cohort. He never hesitated to share his materials and experience with me. He was a hard worker, especially after his family was here. He always wanted to give the best to his daughter. I still remember when we asked him whether he planned to have a second child, he said no. He told us he did not want to share his love with another child; he wanted his whole heart for his daughter. Every time we met, he would leave around 2:30pm, as he said he had to go home and wanted to spend as much time as possible with his daughter. Although I didn’t have the chance to meet his daughter, I am sure she must be a lovely girl who has a great father. Andrew held many activities and study groups among our cohorts. He was like a leader and bond of our cohort. The first cohort restaurant gathering was at Kaya Grill (Korean BBQ), we really had a good time together. He always planned his future well, and very productive. He was selfless all the time both in research and in other aspects. The week before, he asked me to add my name to his grant proposal and told me we should have an art and music group together. He brought courage and laughter to everybody around him. I will remember him forever. –Chang Liu From the top left: Andrew, Michelle, Xiafei, Guijin, Chang and Rob at Kaya Grill (Korean BBQ), October, 2012 I began the Social Work PhD program in 2012, and Andrew was a member of my cohort. Many doctoral students are friends with others in their cohort, but this group is something special. I'm not sure if it was because we were so diverse or because our interests were so varied - maybe we were all just older than typical students - but there was never any competition or backbiting that is common in these situations. From the very beginning it was clear that we valued one another as friends and colleagues too much to be a part of those games. Andrew was a central part of creating this dynamic in our group. He was deliberate, precise, and confident in his scholarship, but at the same time he was thoughtful, kind, and funny in his friendship. Our cohort has grown in scholarship and in friendship over these past few years, and Andrew was a part of all of this. In all the time I've known him, I have never heard him speak harshly against anyone. He helped to set a tone of amicable cooperation as well as hard work and high standards. He never shied away from a challenge and put his all into every endeavor. Being in the US without his family was difficult. As a mother myself, the topic of family often came up when we would talk. We would chat about our kids and what they were up to. He missed his family so much, and though he would smile and laugh in these conversations there was a sadness in his eyes that did not quite go away until his wife and daughter arrived last year. It was as though a part of him was missing until they arrived, and with that arrival he was complete. He was always so thoughtful of my dual role as a student and a mother and would go out of his way to accommodate my children when they would come with me to a meeting. He was so obviously a dad through and through and loved all children. His family was the most important thing in the world to him, and I am so glad that he was able to spend his final months with them. I cannot think of anything that would have made him happier or more at peace than this. One of my favorite memories is the last day of our 1st year knowledge building seminar with Dr. Lee. We all loved this class, and through our deep and sometimes difficult conversations here we began to know each other much better. The last class had finished, it was evening, the building was almost empty, but still we lingered in the room. After ten minutes or so, Dr. Lee got up and headed towards the door, and we shuffled in that direction, still chatting and laughing together. Once we were all in the hall she locked the door, but still no one left. We stood in a group around Dr. Lee still talking and enjoying one another’s company. She had to specifically ask us if we were going to go home before it occurred to us to do so. That is why this group is something special, and it will continue to be. It is the camaraderie and openness that we have. Not judging, not comparing, just accepting and appreciating one another on this journey. Andrew was a large part of what made this happen, and every time we are together will be an honor to his memory. Even though his life on Earth is over, his memory stays with each of us forever. Thank you Andrew, for being a part of my journey. –Marissa Kaloga Marissa, Mo Yee, Guijin, Xiafei, Chang, Andrew, Donna, James, Michelle and Rob (during our Knowledge Building Seminar), The Ohio State University Campus, October, 2012 Much like everyone else he influenced, Andrew made me a better person when I was around him. His kindness often reminded me to be kinder, his hard work inspired me to work harder on the projects we shared as well as on others, and he had an incredible sense of humor that brought out a side of me I rarely share with others. He constantly thought of others and checked in on me often- it was seldom that more than a week would pass without contact. Words fail me now and my heart aches in ways I cannot express. He has become a part of me, of all of us it seems, and I feel like I am losing a part of myself in losing him cannot truly be lost as he has clearly left those himduring foreverhis changed around him forever changed and the lessons hearound imparted time the friend, lessons he you imparted here cannot be forgotten. Thank you for being such anand amazing Andyhave impacted us in ways you may never know. My thoughts and prayers arehis withtime you and your family be during here cannot now and always. –Michelle Hand forgotten. Thank you for being such Michelle and Andrew at the Annual Program Meeting of the Council on Social Work Education, Dallas, TX, November, 2013 지훈오빠… although I know he an amazing friend, Andy- you have impacted us in ways you may never know. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family now and always. – Michelle Hand 이제는 오빠랑 함께 나누었던 시간들과 대화들이 모두 추억이 되어버렸네요. 오빠가 늘 친 오빠처럼 챙겨주고, 좋은 선배로서 학교 생활에 대해 많이 조언해주었기 때문에 이렇게 박사 첫 해 생활을 무사히 마칠 수 있는 것 같아요. 오빠는 나뿐만이 아니라 여기 남아있는 모든 사람들에게 그 누구보다도 소중한 존재이고, 영원히 잊지 못할 사람이에요. 오빠가 그 동안 이 곳에서 힘들게 고뇌하며 연구했던 것들 모두 놓아버리고 이제는 하늘에서 행복하세요. 제 인생 연구하며 지내는 동안 늘 오빠를 기억할게요. 응원해주세요. 오빠 너무 보고싶어요. 존경하고 사랑합니다. 이경원올림 Dear Andrew, I don’t think I have ever told you… Thank you for being such a good friend, a great mentor, and an amazing supporter whom I could rely on every day. I will never forget how you helped and guided me over the year. The moment we chatted at school, the moment we had a cup of coffee, the moment we discussed our study, and the moment we shared our lives together… All those memories will be in my heart forever. I can’t believe you are gone now, but I will pray for you and honor your work until my time is over. I miss you so much. Rest in peace. –Kathy Lee Kathy and Andrew at the 18th Annual Conference of the Society for Social Work and Research, New Orleans, LA, January, 2015 3년전, 오빠와 동기로 박사과정에 들어왔어요. 위에 기수에도, 아래에도, 한국인이 없었기에, 단 둘만 있는 한국인끼리 똘똘뭉치자며, 뭉쳐서 열심히 공부해서 꼭 성공적으로 졸업하자며 결의를 다졌었어요. 때로는 서로의 집에서 다른 과 학생들과 함께 음식을 해서 나눠먹으며 외로움을 달랬고, 날씨가 안 좋아 먹먹함이 찾아올때면 같이 맥주한잔 마시며 농담도 주고받으며 그렇게 시간을 보냈어요. 타지에서 홀로 외롭게 살고 있던 저에게 오빠가 내민 손은 항상 반가웠고 고마웠어요. 항상 오빠한테 받기만 했어요. 3년 전, 오빠를 처음 만난 그 날 부터 계속 오빠에게 도움만 받았어요. 그게 너무 미안해요. 의젓한 모습, 당당한 모습 한 번 못 보여주고, 당장 눈앞의 일에만 급급해 저 힘든 것만 알았지, 오빠의 어려움을 헤아리질 못했어요. 오빤 그런 사람이었어요. 남을 먼저 헤아리는, 당신의 어려움보다 남의 아픔을 먼저 알아봐주고 손을 내밀어주는 사람이었어요. 일요일에 오빠랑 통화한 그 날로 시간을 돌리고 싶네요. 그 전화로 마지막이 될 줄 알았더라면, 차라리 억지를 부려서라도 그날 오빠를 볼 걸 그랬어요. 그리고 물어볼 걸 그랬어요. 괜찮냐고. 무슨일 있으냐고. 다 괜찮아질거라고. 너무 걱정하지 말라고. 그 한마디를 못 했네요. 그게 너무 아쉬워요. 그 작고 허름한 아파트 안에서 함께 나눴던 이야기들, 학교 사무실 안에서 밤늦도록 함께 욕하고 웃으며 나눴던 이야기들, 돌이켜 생각해보니 하나하나가 다 너무 소중해요. 이 곳 콜롬버스에는 온통 오빠와의 추억이 가득해요. 학교를 그만두고 싶다고 오빠에게 털어놨을때, 마무리 잘 지을 수 있도록 붙잡아주고 격려해준 것도 오빠였어요. 한국에서 무기력하게 지내고 있을 때에도, 다시 공부할 수 있다며 일단 돌아오기만 하라고, 다 길을 닦아놨다며 힘을 북돋아 준 것도 오빠였어요. 오빠 응원에 보답하기 위해서라도 이번학기 멋지게 성공해서 나 잘 마무리했다고, 고맙다고, 한턱쏘겠다고, 다 오빠덕분이라고, 당당하게 웃으며 크게 소리치고 싶었는데 이젠 그러질 못하게 됐네요. 졸업이 얼마 남지 않아 오빠가 부담감이 많다고했어요. 논문의 마무리와 그외의 학업적인 부분, 그리고 개인적인 일들이 한꺼번에 다가왔나봐요. 그런데 이렇게까지 힘들어하지는지는 몰랐어요. 도움을 받을줄만 알았지, 줄줄은 몰랐던 철부지 동생이에요. 오빠에게 물어보고 싶어요. 지금은 괜찮아요? 마음은 편안한가요? 불편하진 않아요? 다들 잘 해주나요? 진심으로, 온 마음을 다해서 오빠가 편안하길 기도합니다. 그리고 남은 가족분들이 너무 많이 힘들어하지 않으시길 기도합니다. 너무 필요한 사람이라, 신께서 빨리 필요로 하셨을 거라고 생각해요. 콜롬버스에서 생활하는 남은 기간동안, 오빠의 몫까지 더 열심히 살게요. 그곳에서는 더이상 힘들지 않고 걱정없이 지내길 바라요. 오빠를 알게되어서 저에겐 큰 행복이고 축복이었어요. 오빠를 기억하고 추억할 수 있게 해주어 고마워요. 고마워요. 감사합니다. -이귀진 드림–Guijin Lee Guijin and Andrew at Mr. Sushi for dinner (with Chang, Xiafei and Michelle – ‘The Submitters’), April, 2013 지훈 선배님께 선배, 아직도 믿기지 않아요. 오빠가 공항에 픽업 나왔던 날, 학교 구경 시켜 주며 사진 찍었줬던 날, 이것저것 정착할 때 필요한 것들 챙겨주시던 모습, 한국인 많아졌다고 좋아하시던 모습, 정말 콜럼버스 곳곳에 오빠와 함께 했던 추억들이 너무 생생하게 기억나네요. 저는 오빠 덕분에 이렇게 OSU에 와서 잘 정착해 가고 있는데 이제 오빠가 너무 멀리 가버리셔서 전 이제 누구와 연구 이야기하며 나눠야 할까요? 오빠 전에 제가 오빠는 우리의 영웅이라고 한 말 기억하시죠? 그때 오빠가 안 믿는다며 그랬었는데 그거 진심이었어요. 오빠는 항상 열심히 하는 모습 보여주시고 어떻게 하라고 조언해 주셨잖아요. 저희 정말 오빠 모습 닮아가려고 엄청 노력했답니다. 토요일에 오빠가 마지막으로 연구실에서 해줬던 말들…..남은 박사과정 동안 항상 생각하며 공부하고 꼭 졸업하는 모습 보여드릴게요. 그리고 오빠가 당부하셨던 교육자이자 학자로서의 자세도 잊지 않을게요. 오빠를 알게 된 건 정말 행운이었고 행복한 시간이었어요. 평생 기억할게요. 너무너무 그립고 보고싶어요. 그곳에서 이제 모든 걱정 내려놓고 평안하세요. 2015.4.8 선배를 그리며 최미선 올림 –Mi Sun Choi Andrew walked into my classroom the first day of autumn semester and seldom uttered a word for 14 weeks. I found myself wondering about him. Was he interested in the topic? Was he too shy to say anything? Was he overwhelmed by cultural differences? Was I making him uncomfortable? Regardless, he always came to class – studious, polite, quiet and enigmatic. I was stunned when he asked me to be on his doctoral committee. I was pleased I had made a connection and was happy to serve. This is when I started to know the wonderful person who was Andrew Park. I watched him progress through the inevitable iterations of his research. He steadfastly dealt with numerous suggestions and a few setbacks with grace. The day he successfully completed his candidacy was a happy one. How fortunate we are, I thought, that someone like Andrew is in the world and in the profession of social work. Someday, I will be able to say ‘I am so happy to have known him. He really was a bright spot in my teaching career.’ Today, all I feel is sorrow and frankly a bit cheated that he is gone. He was a good, kind man and made the world a much better place. In my opinion, that is what matters above all else. Godspeed, my friend! –Randi Love What an honor it has been to serve as a member of Andrew’s (Jee Hoon’s) exam and dissertation committee. His hard work and devotion to his studies was evident in every meeting we had. He was always extremely well prepared and able to engage in thoughtful discussions about his work; the meetings were a delight. I have worked with many doctoral students over the years. Andrew stands out for his dedication to learning, his thorough preparation in everything, his thoughtful consideration of the feedback on his work, his scholarly potential, and, above all, his delightful Mo Yee, Denise, Andrew, Randi, Holly and Andrew’s graduate school representative following personality and engaging Andrew’s candidacy exam, The Ohio State University College of Social Work, November, 2014 smile. He will certainly be missed by all. My thoughts are with his family whose influence created such a wonderful man. With fond memories of Jee Hoon Park. –Denise Bronson Andrew’s warm smile, open heart, and brilliant mind were delightful gifts. His departure is a painful mystery. God bless Jee Hoon, our Andrew, and God bless all of us who have lost him. –Holly Dabelko-Schoeny When I think of Andy, certain words come to mind…genuine, diligent, devoted, caring, creative, and intelligent. As a student, I remember Andy’s enthusiasm and nervousness during his first conference presentation, his joy and thankfulness after his first publication, and his progression from eager research assistant to capable and independent researcher. As a person, Andy was earnest and honest, friendly and funny, and loyal and dedicated to his family and friends. Andy cared about people in his work and in his life. He was a good man and I will miss him. –Keith A. Anderson One February afternoon, Andrew came to see me about an idea he had. He wanted to form a study group composed of his fellow Doctoral students that would focus on learning some advanced statistical techniques useful for dissertation research. It isn’t often that I have such visits. Here was a student who was genuinely – and I mean genuinely - interested in some of the topics I teach. His enthusiasm was palpable and, of course, I agreed to do what I could do to support his efforts. Andrew had a plan for the group that was very much in the spirit of a professional learning community. He reached out to potential participants, many of whom attended regularly (these were Saturday morning sessions mind you). He had a plan and schedule for each session that kept the group moving and growing. I did what I could do to contribute to learning objectives and felt like Andrew and I had a collegial partnership that was mutually beneficial to us both and to the group. His humor, wit, flexibility, and smile made for an engaging style all of which set a great tone for a productive learning environment. I would count the group as a solid success. Like all of you, when I got the news about Andrew, I just could not believe it. We planned to meet this week to discuss his dissertation and I looked forward to that meeting. We have lost a budding star and a genuinely good person. I hope Andrew’s family can take comfort from the fact he had positive impact on all of us who got to spend time with him. He will be missed… –Jerry Bean I missed attending Andrew and Michelle’s presentation on comfort women earlier this year at SSWR in New Orleans and so Andrew sent me this message together with his PowerPoint presentation. It’s never been my intention to share this message but this is for Andrew. Andrew in the message said, “I have learned a lot from Asian scholars at the Friday meeting (API Mentoring gathering at New Orleans). You were more than professor at the conference. I felt you were like an academic and life mentor, best friend, prominent scholar, and big mother.” I’m of course so flattered by this message but also wonder what I’ve done right (or wrong) to be described as big mother)). But in many ways, I think, Andrew, you are describing yourself in that message. You are a scholar, a mentor, and a beloved big brother to your cohorts and many fellow students. You educated me on Semiotics Sarah, Kathy, Mo Yee, Michelle, Chang and Andrew at the 18 Annual Conference of the Society for Social Work and Research, New Orleans, LA, Analysis and social work January, 2015 research; you’ve supported and encouraged others in their academic journey when they were stressed or discouraged; you’ve initiated meaningful projects and got other students working collaboratively with you; you even organized the SEM study group when you realized your fellow students were struggling with it, thereby, creating a true learning community at the college. I’ve also heard that you cooked for others and entertained folks with guitar music. You are truly a scholar, a friend, a mentor, and “a big brother” to your fellow cohorts. We deeply miss you but your legacy will stay with us, in our heart, transcending time and space. th –Mo Yee (Andrew likes to call me Dr. Lee)
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