University News
Goldfarb to Participate in Asian Tour
February 2, 2007
MACOMB, IL -- Western Illinois University President Al Goldfarb announced his plans to participate in a Spring 2007 Asian Tour, which will include visits to South Korea, Japan and Taiwan.
Goldfarb, along with Alumni Programs Director Amy Spelman, Interim Director of Western's Center for International Studies Murali Venugopalan, Associate Dean of the College of Business and Technology Larry Wall and former WIU recreation, park and tourism administration faculty member Hyung "Hunter" Cho, who is now the president and CEO of Amthink Consulting Inc. in Seoul, will embark on the nine-day, five-city tour Monday, March 12 in Daejeon, South Korea.
"I'm excited about this trip and meeting our alumni and friends in these countries," Goldfarb said. "Many of our alumni in Korea, Japan and Taiwan remember their days at Western with great fondness, so I'm especially looking forward to talking to them about their time at WIU and learning more about them."
While in South Korea, Goldfarb and various members of the group will visit Western alumni, university officials and business professionals in Daejeon, Gwangju and Seoul from March 12-14. An alumni dinner is scheduled in Seoul Wednesday, March 14. From Seoul the tour continues in Osaka, Japan from March 15-17, including an alumni dinner Friday, March 16, and finishes in Taipei, Taiwan March 18-19. An alumni dinner is scheduled for Sunday, March 18 in Taipei. Information, including formal invitations for the alumni dinners, will be mailed to alumni in those regions in the near future, according to Spelman.
"This trip is an excellent way for the University to expand its alumni network," added Spelman.
According to Venugopalan, in addition to alumni visits Goldfarb will participate in several signing ceremonies and visit with presidents and university officials at Woosong University in Daejeon, Kansai Gaidai University in Osaka and at Ming Chuan University in Taipei.
"We're encouraged by the new articulation agreements and look forward to enhancing our internationalization efforts through these institutional linkages," Venugopalan said. "In October, I met with alumni in Taiwan and Korea during a recruitment trip, so I am looking forward to the larger alumni events that Amy is organizing for this trip. "
Cho added that he is honored to facilitate arrangements in Korea on behalf of President Goldfarb.
"As a WESL and WIU alum and former professor at WIU, this opportunity to help is a privilege for me," Cho said. "I see good things happening for Western in Korea in the near future."
Goldfarb's Asia Tour was originally scheduled for November 2006, but was postponed due to his medical leave of absence.
"It's important for Western to reach out and engage our alumni no matter where they may live in this world," Vice President for Advancement and Public Services Dan Hendricks noted.
For more information on the Spring 2007 Asian Tour, contact Alumni Programs at 309/298-1914, e-mail A-Association@wiu.edu or visit www.wiu.edu/alumni.
Posted By: Darcie Shinberger (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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