Celebration of 50 years with University of California Education Abroad Program
In the middle of our 350th jubilee celebrations, we recently also celebrated 50 years of student exchange with University of California Education Abroad Program (UCEAP)! Celebrations previously took place in California last October, but now alumni, students and staff were welcomed to Lund with a chance to relive memories and celebrate our oldest exchange studies partnership!
The celebrations kicked off with a traditional fika (including the tastiest kanelbullar!) and a guided tour of Lundagård with Fredrik Tersmeden, Lund University archivist and historian. Current UCEAP students spent the afternoon giving tours of their corridor to show alumni what student accommodation looks like today. It was quite a highlight for some alumni to visit their old stomping grounds. The day concluded with a reception at the Bishop’s House where we could celebrate both this 50th anniversary as well as Lund University’s 350th jubilee!
Day two included an Alumni Roundtable where alumni shared their experiences and stories about how studies abroad have impacted their life. Alumni speakers included Harlan Strauss (1966-67), Jean Givens (1967-68) and Meghan Cridland (2008-09), and the event was moderated by UCEAP Associate Dean Hsiu-Zu Ho. That afternoon, alumni got an exclusive behind the scenes tour of the Peder Winstrup exhibition at the Historical Museum, a month before the exhibition's grand opening. Day two concluded with a sittning at Lunds nation followed by traditional Swedish folk dancing. A wonderful evening full of smiles and laughs from students, alumni and staff!
The final day of the celebrations started with a bus tour, including stops in Uppåkra, an Iron Age settlement, and in Lund nearby MAX IV and ESS. This was followed by a guided tour of the Lund Cathedral (Domkyrkan). The gala dinner at Grand Hotel was the 50th anniversary's finale. Our host, Vivian-Lee Nyitray, Associate Vice Provost and Executive Director of UCEAP, welcomed over 100 students, alumni and staff. The evening also included a speech from Professor Sanimir Resic, Vice-Dean of the Faculties of Humanities and Theology at Lund University, and a delightful performance by Neve Vocal Group.
A big thank you to all who participated and all who helped make the celebrations such a hit! Cheers to another 50 years!
