University Builds Partnerships With Officials From Myanmar
The University of La Verne welcomed a delegation of government and other leaders from the Republic of the Union of Myanmar to campus for two days to explore academic partnerships between the university and the Southeast Asian nation.
The delegates met with university officials and business, academic, and other leaders from the region on Sept. 30. The following day, Oct. 1, they toured the university’s main campus and visited with University of La Verne President Devorah Lieberman and other university leaders during a luncheon at University House.
The visit was the first step toward agreements that could help students from Myanmar pursue business, education, and other academic degrees from the University of La Verne, and create study abroad opportunities in Myanmar for American students.
“The delegation is looking for educational opportunities for the young people of Myanmar, and they recognized the quality and value the University of La Verne offers,” said Myra Garcia, vice president of the Office of University Advancement. “They were impressed to see a university of our age and stature, and they seemed very taken by the openness, friendliness, and diversity of our campus.”
Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, has a population of more than 53 million people. Located along the Indian Ocean, the nation is bordered by India, Bangladesh, China, Laos, and Thailand.
The meetings were initiated by Dr. Tony Chan, a member of the university’s Health Advisory Council, and his wife, Dr. Virginia Chang. Chan, who was born in Myanmar and came to the United States for his studies, remains connected to his native country and has worked to build educational bridges between the two nations.
The delegation included Aung Kyaw Zan, Myanmar’s consul general in Los Angeles;
Soe Thu Ra, consul in Los Angeles; Myint Htwe, union minister at the Ministry of Health and Sports; Kyaw Khaing, director of the International Health Division of the Ministry of Health and Sports; Win Maw Tun, deputy education minister; and Aung M. Naing, president of the Network of Myanmar American Association.
They met with Chan and Chang; Lieberman; Garcia; Board of Trustees Chairman Dr. Luis Faura and his wife Maria; Dr. Abe Helou, dean of the College of Business and Public Management; Dr. Lynn Stanton-Riggs, assistant dean of the LaFetra College of Education; Dr. Clive Houston, vice president of Facility & Technology Services; Chris Krzak, dean of admissions; Dr. Julio Minoves-Triquell, associate professor of political science and former Andorran ambassador to the United States; and two student representatives.
Lieberman and other university leaders found much in common with their guests, most notably a passion for higher education and a desire for creating new opportunities for people around the world to learn and grow.
“The University of La Verne has long served international students as part of its commitment to improving and enhancing local, regional, and global communities,” Lieberman said. “We are grateful to our friends from Myanmar for visiting with us, and we look forward to building on the momentum we have created.”
The university, which is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year, has a dedicated Office of International Student Services to help students from other countries succeed. That success is evidenced by the more than 2,500 international alumni in Asia alone.
The university is also located in Southern California’s San Gabriel Valley, which is home to one of the largest communities of Burmese residents in the United States.
