STEVENS LEGACY SOCIETY MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: PHILOMENA YOUNG JA CHUN

The story of Soung Soon “John” Chun Ph.D. ’68 started in Seoul, Korea. He immigrated to the United States in 1959, earning his Stevens degree in metallurgical engineering. Chun returned to Korea in 1972 and rose to become president of the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. Unexpectedly, Chun passed away in 2003. In his honor, his family made a planned gift to establish the Dr. John Soung Soon and Mrs. Philomena Young Ja Chun Fellowship to support doctoral students in materials science.

“My husband touched many lives throughout his accomplished career in materials engineering,” said Philomena Young Ja Chun. “It is satisfying for me to pay tribute to him through the Dr. John Soung Soon and Mrs. Philomena Young Ja Chun Fellowship at Stevens, which will continue this legacy and impact future doctoral students for many years to come.”

The Chun family gift provides meaningful and lasting value. “We are grateful to Mrs. Chun and her family for establishing a fellowship at Stevens,” said Professor Adeniyi Lawal, who directs the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science. “This award will support students with the potential to succeed and have an impact that follows the one Dr. Chun had in his two home countries.”