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MAY 2017

UC Alumni Celebrate 50 Years of Exchange! (Jill Gullstrand, Jim Halperin (1969-70), Rima and Harlan (1966-67) Strauss, Gerrit (1969-70) and Carole Buddingh)

Last month UCEAP traveled to Sweden to celebrate our 50 year anniversary of student exchange with Lund University. Alumni, faculty, staff, and friends joined us for three days of events in commemoration of our historic partnership. Check out our photo album here.

We started our celebration with a private tour of the Lund University campus with Fredrik Tersmeden, Lund University archivist and historian, followed by a traditional Swedish fika coffee break and cinnamon rolls. After the fika, current UCEAP students invited alumni to tour their dormitories, including the exact dorms of a few alumni who took photos and relived moments of their study abroad experience. A Nordic Noir film lecture by Olof Hedling, Associate Professor in Film Studies at Lund University, was held in the afternoon, followed by a reception hosted by Lund University at the magnificent Bishop's House, in celebration of our 50th and Lund's 350th anniversary.

UCEAP Students Lead Dorm Tours

( current UC students Michelle Guzman, Margaret McNeely, Aliya Helling, Michael Kraut, and Jessica Bratulina )

The next day started early with a focus group of our reciprocity alumni (Lund students who studied at UC) and an Alumni Roundtable where alumni were invited to share stories about the impact of their exchange. Alumni speakers included Harlan Strauss (1966-67), Jean Givens (1967-68), Meghan Cridland (2008-09) and was moderated by UCEAP Associate Dean Hsiu-Zu Ho.

A highlight for the group was a behind the scenes tour of the Peder Winstrup exhibition at the Historical Museum. Bishop Peder Winstrup was a Renaissance man and the founder of Lund University. We were able to see his mummy close up, examine the contents of his cofﬁn and get insights into the living conditions and health status of people from the 1600s.

That evening we experienced a sittning at Lunds nation. A sittning is a typical student event in Lund. Hosted by Lunds nation, a volunteer student chef and team prepared an elegant 3 course meal that was enjoyed by all. Combined with Swedish folk dancing and singing, it was a great way for alumni and students to celebrate this milestone together.

Alumni and Students Enjoy Sittning at Lunds Nation

On our ﬁnal day, alumni enjoyed a bus tour of Lund, with a visit to Uppåkra, an Iron Age settlement and nearby Brunnshög. The tour also stopped at the MAX IV, where Lund, together with the University and other global partners, is investing in innovative energy solutions, research facilities and sustainability.

The events culminated in a gala dinner and celebration at the Grand Hotel. The event was hosted facilities and sustainability.

The events culminated in a gala dinner and celebration at the Grand Hotel. The event was hosted by Vivian-Lee Nyitray, Associate Vice Provost and Executive Director of UCEAP, and included remarks by Professor Sanimir Resic, Vice-Dean of the Faculties of Humanities and Theology at Lund University. An acapella musical performance combined with a wonderful dinner of local specialties completed the festivities.

Thank you to everyone at Lund University, including Deputy Vice-Chancellor Eva Wiberg, Anne Messeter and Karen Paulson, for your dedication to our partnership and for your help in planning our reunion celebration. We look forward to another 50 years!