Photo by Andrea Harrell
Elizabeth Kearney accepts a plaque during a ceremony Wednesday renaming the international center in honor of her and her late husband's involvement with the program.
Minnesota State Mankato's new Elizabeth and Wynn Kearney International Center was officially named during an April 23 ceremony honoring Elizabeth M. and the late Dr. R. Wynn Kearney Sr.
The new name acclaims the many Kearney family contributions of time, money and commitment to international students and the University. Elizabeth Kearney and her five children -- sons Dr. R. Wynn Kearney Jr., Dr. Michael Kearney and Robert Kearney, and daughters Anne Kearney Smith and Mary Kearney Pierce -- attended the ceremony to hear messages of appreciation from President Richard Davenport, and to talk with international students who have benefited from Kearney International Scholarships.
The International Center, open since September 2007, brings the university's International Student and International Programs offices together in a strikingly renovated space on the second floor of Centennial Student Union. The center is a one-stop information and service hub for international inquiries by students, faculty, alumni and members of the Mankato community.
Wynn Kearney Sr., a Mankato surgeon, and Elizabeth became supporters of the university's International Student Endowment Scholarship many years ago. Dr. Kearney chaired the International Student Endowment Committee, and influenced others to support the fund.
After her husband's death in 1999, Mrs. Kearney joined the committee. In 2002 she established the annually funded R. Wynn Kearney Sr. International Student Scholarship. She continues to be involved with the committee and the students, and has established a permanently endowed scholarship for international students in both their names.
The Kearneys and their children – Wynn, Anne, Michael, Mary and Robert – have supported the university in many other ways, including contributing to other scholarships and endowment funds and to programs such as Intercollegiate Athletics, Theatre & Dance, arts, cultural diversity, Urban & Regional Studies and Music.
“We are grateful for the generous contributions of Dr. Wynn and Elizabeth Kearney and their children,” said Minnesota State Mankato President Richard Davenport. “The Kearneys believe deeply in Mankato and in Minnesota State Mankato. Their gifts will enrich the university for generations to come.”
The new Elizabeth and Wynn Kearney International Center helps academic departments bring international speakers to campus, organizes activities that let students learn about other cultures, coordinates international events on and off campus, and assists students and faculty with foreign study and research exchanges.
Students can stop at the center for advice and information about opportunities for study, internships and volunteer experiences around the world.
Two departments are housed in the center. The International Programs Office, directed by Caryn Lindsay, helps students integrate a foreign study experience into their academic programs. The International Student and Scholar Services Office, directed by Tom Gjersvig, coordinates nearly 500 international students from more than 65 nations who study at Minnesota State Mankato.
The center also coordinates new partnerships with European, African, South American, Asian and Indian universities.
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