Today
I’m waking up in beautiful Guadalajara, Mexico, where I am among 24
private college leaders nationwide selected to meet with Mexican
university rectors to explore opportunities for international
partnership.
The Higher Education Summit of the United States and Mexico, taking place March 29-31,
is coordinated by Washington, D.C.-based Council of Independent
Colleges (CIC), a national association of 766 nonprofit independent
colleges and universities and higher education affiliates and
organizations. I am a former member and officer of the CIC Board of
Directors and chaired the organization’s acclaimed New Presidents
Program for 15 years.
The CIC organized the summit in
conjunction with the Mexican Federation of Private Higher Education
Institutions (FIMPES) with generous support from Santander Universidades
and Universia. With a theme of “Reaffirming the North American Spirit
of Collaboration in Higher Education: Creating Bridges of
Communications,” it will emphasize the importance of international
exchange in today’s “America First” political climate.
The
meeting follows three years during which delegations of Mexican private
university rectors participated in the CIC’s Presidents Institute, the
largest annual gathering of college and university presidents in the
United States. Participants aim to provide enhanced exchange
opportunities for students and faculty members in both countries;
provide students with increased access to internships in Mexico and the
United States; and allow faculty members and students to collaborate in
shared research projects and development programs.
During our
visit, my colleagues and I will visit and meet with campus leaders of
three Mexican higher education institutions: Instituto Tecnológico de
Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, Universidad Panamericana, and
Universidad del Valle de Atemajac. We’re also meeting with the U.S.
Consul General in Guadalajara, Tanya C. Anderson, and with local, state,
and national Mexican officials, as well as additional university
rectors to discuss student and faculty exchange programs, articulation
agreements, global leadership, visa issues, and undocumented students.
I
have long been an outspoken advocate of the importance of international
travel as a part of a liberal arts education. During my tenure as
president of Lincoln Memorial University in the 1990s, I co-founded the
InterAmerican Consortium—a collaboration of eight U.S. colleges and
universities and 11 international universities. As a result of this
effort, I was honored to receive the Presidential Medal by Universidad
InterAmericana of Costa Rica and Panama.
Expanded global
opportunities and cultural exchange are important to my long-term vision
for Virginia Wesleyan, as I believe these types of interactions provide
students with more meaningful overall learning experiences. I am
honored to take part in this summit and look forward to furthering our
relationship and creating new partnerships with our higher-education
counterparts in Mexico.
