UW-Green Bay, St. Norbert College renew international program for five years

GREEN BAY – St. Norbert College President Thomas Kunkel and University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Interim Chancellor David Ward today (Monday, April 20) renewed an important partnership that attracts international scholars to the greater Green Bay community.

The two educational leaders signed a five-year extension of the joint St. Norbert College-UW-Green Bay International Visiting Scholars Program. The groundbreaking program provides financial support for international scholars to spend time on both campuses and in the community.

Since it was established in 2003, the International Visiting Scholars Program has brought 12 scholars to the area for activities on the St. Norbert and UW-Green Bay campuses, at local elementary and secondary schools, and at numerous other community locations.

Kunkel and Ward, who signed the agreement today in a ceremony at the Neville Public Museum of Brown County, said the visiting scholars help students and community members better understand the significance of developments around the world.

“St. Norbert College is delighted to be able to continue this innovative program of cooperation,” Kunkel said. “It’s one more way to provide important international perspectives to the students of both our institutions.”

Ward said the visiting scholars program has played a significant role in bringing the world to Green Bay and Green Bay to the world.

“It is a pleasure for UW-Green Bay to partner with St. Norbert College to help our students and the community better understand and promote global perspectives,” Ward said.

The joint St. Norbert College-UW-Green Bay International Visiting Scholars Program is supported by contributions from the two campuses and by donations from interested individuals and foundations. A fund on behalf of the program is administered by the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation.

The program is guided by a steering committee with three members each from UW-Green Bay, St. Norbert College and the community. Melanie Brown, assistant professor of English at St. Norbert College, and Robert Wenger, professor emeritus of Natural and Applied Sciences at UW-Green Bay, serve as co-chairs.

Visiting scholars supported by the program spend periods ranging from one month to one year in the Green Bay area. Scholars have come from Vietnam, Slovakia, Peru, South Africa, Italy and the Philippines.

Scholars have included environmental scientists, musicians, a historian and a social anthropologist. Jose DePierola, a civil engineer, and his wife, Adit Aguilar, a professional pharmacist, currently are visiting from Peru.

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For more information, contact Mike Heine at UW-Green Bay at (920) 465-2526 or Mike Counter at St. Norbert College at (920) 403-3089.

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