Contact: Maridith Geuder
STARKVILLE, Miss.--As part of the university's growing international focus, Mississippi State is holding formal meetings this week with two alumni groups in South Korea.
Jimmy Abraham, MSU Alumni Association executive director, is accompanying President Robert H. "Doc" Foglesong and J.P. Shim--a Korean native and John Grisham Master Teacher--for a visit that also included stops at major universities in and around the capital, Seoul.
"We are thrilled to have established our first international alumni chapter in our history, and we're anxious to expand productive connections between Mississippi State and our international graduates," said Abraham, who also is associate vice president for development and alumni.
More than 200 alumni live in the East Asian nation and nearly 100 participated in meetings with university officials over a two-day period, Abraham said.
"We gave them an update on the university and discussed the importance of establishing this historic chapter," Abraham said, adding that the Korean alumni chapter already has established two scholarships for Korean students desiring to study at the land-grant institution.
While in the country, Foglesong also signed exchange agreements with the University of Seoul, and Sookmyung Women's University, as well as presenting invited lectures at Catholic University of Daegu and at National Air University in Daejeon.
In addition, he visited with the presidents of Kyungpook National University and National Air University, as well as with the board chairman of Yong In University Foundation and the vice chairman of the Federation of Korean Industries. He also was briefed by the U.S. ambassador on the security and business climate of the region.
"There are many opportunities for increased educational and research collaborations that Mississippi State wants to explore," Foglesong said in a Wednesday report to Starkville campus colleagues.
"We are creating avenues for our students to expand their global awareness and understanding, as well as creating potential economic linkages that can benefit our state," he added.
Shim, a professor of management and information systems, coordinated a Global Leadership Program last summer that provided a 10-day immersion in Korean education, information technology and culture to about 35 Mississippi State students. The program will continue in the summer of 2008.
Foglesong launched the global program to provide significantly expanded study-abroad opportunities for MSU students. Five veteran faculty members serve as regional ambassadors to coordinate student activities in areas around the world.
The MSU group is returning to campus Friday [Nov. 2].
For more information about Mississippi State University, see http://www.msstate.edu/.