SU Commemorates 25 Years of Partnership with University of Málaga, Spain
SALISBURY, MD---¹ú²ú¸£Àû¾Ã¾Ãav recently commemorated 25 years of partnership with the University of Málaga (UMA) during a visit to the institution in southern Spain, led by SU President Carolyn Ringer Lepre.
“¹ú²ú¸£Àû¾Ã¾Ãav’s study abroad programs provide students with the opportunity to explore cultures around the world while earning credits toward their SU degrees,” said Lepre. “We are proud to continue our longstanding partnership with the University of Málaga, which has not only allowed hundreds of SU students to study on the Mediterranean coast of Spain, but also provided opportunities for SU faculty through the SU in Spain program.
“These types of high-impact practices are instrumental in preparing our students to thrive in an increasingly global world.”
Dr. Keith Brower, late professor of Spanish in SU’s Modern Languages and Intercultural Studies Department, began the partnership in 2001. Since then, more than 300 SU students have studied abroad in Málaga, and a similar number of Spanish students have studied abroad in Salisbury, making the partnership the most active bilateral student exchange program at SU.
During the rebuilding of international initiatives in the post-COVID-19 pandemic era, the SU In Spain study abroad program is the only global partnership that regularly engages faculty and students from all of SU’s academic schools and colleges.
Drs. Nitya Singh (Franklin P. Perdue School of Business), Simbarashe Pasirayi (Perdue School), David Phillips (Samuel W. and Marilyn C. Seidel School of Education), Ricardo Vázquez (Charles R. and Martha N. Fulton School of Liberal Arts), Ryan Habermeyer (Fulton School), Eric Liebgold (Richard A. Henson School of Science and Technology), and Sherry Maykrantz ‘08, M’11 (College of Health and Human Services) have taught SU students in Málaga over the past three years.
Dr. Brian Stiegler (Fulton and Seidel schools), who taught Spanish along with Brower on the initial SU In Spain summer program in 2001 collaborated with the SU Alumni Association to plan the SU delegation visit to Málaga this November. Jennifer Stiegler ’12, Career Counselor in the SU Office of Career Services, also traveled with the first student group to Spain in 2001 and returned with the delegation to mark the 25th anniversary.
The group also included three members of the SU Foundation, Inc. board of directors: Board President Ashley Stern ‘08 and her husband, Kevin Dorman ‘13; William Hall ‘93 and wife Nancy; and Dr. Tom Jones, former SU provost and long-serving dean of the Henson School and wife Nancy. Jayme Block ‘97, M’99, associate vice president for alumni engagement, represented the alumni association and was instrumental in planning the delegation visit.
In addition, the delegation met with three more SU alumni while in Spain. Caroline Schlegel ‘08 is currently director of language instruction for Frederick County Public Schools. Emma Kobylenski SU’12, UMA M’16 and Pepe Quesada-Embid ‘00, M’02 have lived and worked full-time in Málaga and Madrid, respectively, for many years. For both Kobylenski and Quesada-Embid, the delegation visit provided their first opportunity to attend an SU-sponsored alumni event.
“Members of the SU Alumni Association and the SU Foundation Board of Directors are so excited for the opportunity to have a deeper understanding about how SU students learn all around the world,” said Block. “We are returning from Spain eager to learn even more about SU students’ global engagement and are already thinking ahead to the next international experience the SU Alumni Association can offer to the SU community.”
A highlight of the visit was a meeting between Lepre and Professor Juan Teodomiro López Navarrete, UMA rector, to review past successes and to explore opportunities to continue to grow the partnership.
The SU delegation met with academic leaders and visited the spaces where Salisbury students study — for lengths from a few weeks to a full academic year — through their SU In Spain study abroad programs. Delegation members also participated in some of the cultural activities SU students have enjoyed during their time there, including a tour of the historic downtown of Málaga city and the Picasso Museum, celebrating one of Málaga’s most famous sons, Pablo Picasso. In addition, they traveled to Granada and toured the famous Moorish complex of palaces and fortresses known as La Alhambra.
The visit culminated with a high-speed rail trip to Madrid, where delegation members were able to visit several of the capital city’s cultural sites, including the Royal Palace, Plaza Mayor, Plaza de España, Reina Sofía Museum of Modern Art, and El Prado Museum.
Some also stayed on in Madrid to cheer on the Washington Commanders — and Head Coach Dan Quinn ‘94 — during the first NFL game to be played in Spain, against the Miami Dolphins.
To learn more about opportunities for SU students to study abroad in Spain, visit the and type “Spain” in the search field.
For more information about ¹ú²ú¸£Àû¾Ã¾Ãav and opportunities to Make Tomorrow Yours, visit the SU website.