50th Anniversary Alumni Reunion 
The Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR) and the University of Kansas (KU) celebrated their historic 50th Anniversary of Academic Cooperation and Exchange in March 2008. The KU-UCR partnership was initiated in 1958 in an agreement signed by former KU Chancellor, Franklin Murphy and UCR Rector, Rodrigo Facio. It is the oldest inter-university exchange of its kind in the Western Hemisphere.
Throughout its 50-year duration, the commitment to academic cooperation between UCR and KU has been the inspiration for numerous collaborative projects, including research symposia held at one of the participating campuses; short-term research collaborations and student exchange programs between the KU and UCR Schools of Social Welfare, Schools of Journalism, and Anthropology and Biology Departments; and numerous student exchange experiences during the semester and/or academic years. In recent years, the collaboration has expanded to include joint research projects funded by the Universidad de Costa Rica, the CR-USA Foundation of Costa Rica, and the University of Kansas, as well as the Estrategia XXI, a long-term strategic initiative aimed at enhancing education, science, technology, and innovation in all collaborating institutions.
The Universidad de Costa Rica and the University of Kansas commemorated this historic event over three days with a series of events held in San José, Costa Rica. The celebration began on Thursday, March 6 with an Alumni Reunion and activities in honor of the long-standing student exchange agreement between KU and UCR. Following a tour of the UCR campus and a visit to downtown San José, alumni of the program from 1961–2004 and family members joined faculty, administrators, and invited guests from UCR and KU for a dinner at Jürgen’s Restaurant. Presentations were given by Rodolfo Mendez Mata, a native of Costa Rica and alumnus of KU, and Richard Paegelow, a KU alumnus and participant on the KU-UCR exchange program in 1967. Each remembered their experiences fondly, highlighting specifically the transformative power of international exchange in their personal lives and professional careers.
On Friday, March 7, the Universidad de Costa Rica hosted the official opening ceremonies of the 50th Anniversary Celebration. Held at the Ciudad de la Investigación, events included reflections by Jeff Weinberg, Assistant to the Chancellor (KU) and Rector Yamileth González García (UCR) on the history and future of the academic partnership between KU and UCR, an exchange of award-winning artistic works, a baroque music ensemble performed by faculty of both institutions, and the official signing of the renewed Agreement on Cultural and Academic Exchange. The evening ended with food, drink, music and dancing, as colleagues forged new relationships and renewed old friendships.
On Saturday, March 8, the University of Kansas hosted a series of academic panels highlighting the history of the UCR-KU relationship and the collaborative initiatives of the future. Charley Stansifer, María Eugenia Bozzoli, and Anita Herzfeld, key leaders in the organization of the student exchange program between KU and UCR, opened the day with a history of the Kansas-Costa Rica partnership, noting roots extending back to the late 19th century. Faculty of KU and UCR presented summaries of their collaborative research initiatives, including projects in the areas of Education, Anthropology, Archaeology, and Biology. The day concluded with a presentation on the Estrategia XXI by Gabriel Macaya, former Rector of the UCR, and Alejandrina Mata Segreda, the current Vice Minister of Public Education in Costa Rica. Macaya and Mata Segreda addressed the current context of Costa Rica and the important role that international partnerships will play in the country’s future educational development. The 50th Anniversary Celebration concluded with a brunch held at the Costa Rica Marriott on Sunday, March 9.
Where are they now? ...Drop us a line at OSAalumni@ku.edu and reconnect with your classmates. Include the year you studied abroad and a brief description of what you're doing now. We are creating an on-line listing of past UCR participants so you can network and catch up!
Jayhawk Planet (The Office of Study Abroad Alumni
Newsletter) See the first announcement for the 50th Anniversary Event! If you currently do not receive a copy of the Jayhawk Planet, please send your mailing address to OSAalumni@ku.edu.
Interested in viewing current UCR program information including details about the new Early Start Program? Click here!
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