Members of UW’s delegation pose for a photo in front of Scotland’s Edinburgh Castle
during their recent trip to Scotland and England. From left are Mark Northam, School
of Energy Resources executive director; Leslie Rush, director of the School of Teacher
Education; Teena Gabrielson, associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences; Peter
Parolin, dean of the Honors College; Tony Denzer, head of the Department of Civil
and Architectural Engineering; Tony Ogden, associate vice provost for global engagement;
and Jeremy Davis, director of the Center for Student Involvement and Leadership. (UW
Photo)
A delegation of University of Wyoming faculty members and administrators recently
returned from Scotland and England, where the representatives visited several institutions
and organizations, with the goal of expanding UW’s education-abroad offerings in the
United Kingdom.
The 10-member group’s weeklong tour was coordinated by UW’s Global Engagement Office
(GEO), which works to advance comprehensive internationalization at UW for the benefit
of students and the well-being of Wyoming and the world.
Highlights of the trip included:
-- A visit to Abbotsford, home of Sir Walter Scott, led by English Professor Caroline
McCracken-Flesher, a Walter Scott scholar and director of the UW in Scotland program.
-- A visit to the University of Glasgow, where the group learned more about the Principia
honors consortium, of which UW is a member institution.
-- A visit to Arcadia University’s undergraduate research programs in Edinburgh and
London, through which UW students can engage in intensive, summer research projects
in science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines.
-- A visit to London, where the group learned more about UW’s London Semester program,
an innovative UW program stretching back nearly 30 years.
The UW delegation also hosted a reception in London with about 50 UW alumni and friends.
“UW has a strong network of alumni and friends all around the world. It was such a
highlight of the week to meet with so many people connected to UW, to hear their stories
and to celebrate their many successes,” says Tony Ogden, associate vice provost for
global engagement. “Each year, we have many students who study in the U.K. and, likewise,
many British citizens join us here in Wyoming. Building these international connections
and fostering intercultural exchange and friendship are central to what GEO is all
about.”
In addition to Ogden and McCracken-Flesher, members of the UW group were Jeremy Davis,
director of the Center for Student Involvement and Leadership; Tony Denzer, head of
the Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering; Teena Gabrielson, associate
dean of the College of Arts and Sciences; Mark Northam, executive director of the
School of Energy Resources; Peter Parolin, dean of the Honors College; Brent Pickett,
dean of UW-Casper; Leslie Rush, director of the School of Teacher Education; and David
Sprott, College of Business dean.
“This trip was invaluable for learning about the depth of UW’s existing engagement
in Scotland and England, in part through hearing faculty who teach courses in the
U.K. talk us through those classes in the places they are taught, such as the Globe
Theatre in London and at Walter Scott’s home in Scotland,” Pickett says. “It also
was helpful in learning about the range of possible partnerships, the types of education
abroad and the research possibilities available to UW students and faculty.”
