PIUM, a social contribution corps composed of students at the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), held its inauguration ceremony for its sixth cohort and began full-scale activities.
According to GIST on Tuesday, PIUM is a social contribution corps in which enrolled GIST students serve as both mentors and organizers, leading the entire process from program planning to execution and evaluation.
The corps expands science education opportunities and supports career exploration for local youth through various programs:
△ Junior Science Mentoring (online mentor-mentee classes)
△ Outreach Science Camps (visits to schools in rural towns and villages)
△ GIST Science Camps (inviting general youth to campus)
△ GIST Science Talk Talk (inviting regional science talent)
The programs also provide customized activities for educationally underserved groups.
PIUM has operated on a nationwide scale, drawing student participants from various regions. Due to growing demand, the corps currently focuses its education programs on rural towns and villages in the Honam region. Through these efforts, it continues to engage youth in areas with relatively fewer science education opportunities, improving educational accessibility.
Interest in these activities has been strong. A total of 325 applicants applied for the "Junior Science Mentoring" mentee recruitment held last month, with 190 ultimately selected.
Of the 39 mentors selected this year, 17 are "experienced mentors" returning from last year. Their continued participation despite busy academic schedules highlights the students' sustained commitment to social contribution.
The 39 members of PIUM's sixth cohort plan to carry out diverse social contribution activities for approximately nine months through the end of the year, starting with the inauguration ceremony held on the 3rd. They aim to spread a culture of volunteerism and sharing while creating sustained social value through collaboration with the local community.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by the newly selected students, GIST Vice President for External Affairs Jeong Yong-hwa, and officials from the External Communications Team. Participants shared plans for expanding science education opportunities and career exploration support for local youth, and reaffirmed their commitment ahead of the activities.
Notably, this sixth cohort features a virtuous cycle in which a student who participated as a mentee during high school has now enrolled at GIST and returned as a mentor. This demonstrates that PIUM goes beyond simple volunteer work to serve as a program that fosters the growth and return of regional talent.
"PIUM does not stop at helping local youth grow. The experience connects to career exploration and academic motivation, creating a virtuous cycle that extends beyond individual growth to benefit the region and the nation as a whole," said Jeong Yong-hwa, GIST Vice President for External Affairs. "We will actively support PIUM so that it can develop into a leading social contribution program where the university and the local community grow together."