Dr. Paul Jhin leads United Nations initiative to improve educational opportunities

Chris Pepple | 11/19/2009

Lipscomb alumnus Dr. Paul Kyo Jhin (’60) leads the United Nations Information and Technology Corps (ITCO), known as the United Nations Secretary-General’s 500/12 Initiative to provide 500,000 computers for 10,000 schools for 33 million students in 60 nations by 2012.

“I am very passionate about this initiative to get computers into classrooms around the world. I am able to speak for children who don’t have a voice in their situation. Children were born where they were born, whether that is in Africa or Eastern Europe. But every child is precious. No child should be deprived of the best possible education. We can bring hope to millions of children around the world through technology,” Jhin said. “I have journeyed from being a Bisons cheerleader when I was at Lipscomb to being a United Nations leader. My studies and experiences at Lipscomb paved the way to serve the needs of communities in the United States and around the world.”

When the foreign minister of Korea, Ban Ki-Moon, ran for the Secretary-General position, Jhin served as one of his advisers on Information and Communication Technology. When Ki-Moon became the Secretary-General, Jhin recommended to him the ITCO initiative. Jhin now serves as CEO of that initiative, working with technology executives, universities, and corporations to make this goal a reality.

Jhin (back left) as a Lipscomb cheerleader

Dr. Jhin with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon

Dr. Jhin appointed as Peace Corps' Director of Special Initiative by President Bush

Dr. Jhin at Christmas party with President George Bush  and First Lady Barbara Bush

Jhin began to identify the needs of students through his work with the Peace Corps. He served as the director of the Peace Corps’ Special Initiatives before accepting the position with the United Nations. In that position, he became the Peace Corps’ liaison to the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, the State Department’s Inter-Agency Working Group, the White House Initiative on Digital Freedom, and the United Nations Secretary-General’s office.

“The good Lord gave me many wonderful opportunities in life, and I am honored that I can use those opportunities to touch the lives of so many other people,” said Jhin, who left Korea to study in America with the help of the mother of an American soldier. “The love of Mrs. Lillie Phillips brought me to America from Korea. I met her son who was serving as a company commander in Korea. She and I corresponded, and she sent me my first Bible. She lived next to a boys’ dorm at Freed-Hardeman. She washed their clothes at the cost of ten cents a shirt. When she had washed 2,500 shirts, she sent the money to the president of Freed-Hardeman asking him to help get me to America. He offered me a full scholarship to their two-year program. That’s all they had at the time. After I earned my associate’s degree there, I came to Lipscomb to earn my bachelor’s degree in mathematics. Mrs. Phillips was rich in spirit and helped me begin this wonderful journey.”

After leaving Lipscomb, Jhin continued his education, earning a master’s degree in government and international relations from New York University, a master’s degree in mathematics from Boston College and a doctoral degree in mathematics education from Auburn University. He has served as the assistant superintendent for educational technology in Washington, D.C., public schools, establishing a live math tutorial program and installing 6,000 personal computers and television sets in every classroom in 180 primary and secondary schools in the system. He also served as the executive assistant to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in Washington, D.C., introducing the Total Quality Management (TQM) culture to the second largest federal department and helping to provide the highest quality service possible to veterans and their families.

“I have sweet memories from my time at Lipscomb. I try to carry out that spirit of service I saw on the campus,” Jhin added. “We must serve the needs of others. Feed those who are hungry. Bring hope.”