The grant will be used towards strengthening Parsons School of Design's commitment to the Korean student population by integrating Korean art and design into the undergraduate degree program. Korean students comprise more than half of the Asian population at Parsons and more than a third of the international students.
Parsons also has an affiliate school in Seoul, Korea.
In order to accomplish this goal with substance, the Parsons Liberal Studies faculty is now undertaking formal education in Korean art history and culture. Three experts on Korean art and culture are currently conducting seminars with fourteen faculty members. By spring 2000, aspects of Korean art and design will enrich the Liberal Studies curriculum already in place. In addition, an internally produced and maintained web-site will be available to faculty and students. Parsons hopes that this program will serve as a model for other divisions with New School University, particularly Mannes College of Music, which also has a significant Korean student population and, like Parsons, a focus on art and culture.