Saint Augustine’s University Signs Agreement With University Of Pacific
RALEIGH, NC (www.st-aug.edu) – In an effort to develop global citizens, Saint Augustine’s University (SAU) entered a student exchange partnership with the University of the Pacific from the country of Colombia on Friday, July 1st.
SAU President Everett B. Ward and University of the Pacific Rector Hugo Tobar signed the agreement on campus at the Boyer Building in President Ward’s office. The two-year agreement will allow the institutions to exchange students this upcoming academic year. The goal is to enhance the students both academically and culturally in addition to preparing them for the global job market.
“This partnership will help our students broaden their knowledge and their leadership skills from a global perspective,” President Ward said. “I am very excited about the research that will come from this partnership. Having the Rector here today just affirms for me that Saint Augustine’s University is moving in the right direction.”
Rector Tobar made a special visit to SAU’s campus during his United States trip for the historical agreement.
The agreement is the result of interactions from the U.S.-Colombia Action Plan on Racial and Ethnic Equality (CAPREE), signed by U.S. President Barack Obama in 2010. CAPREE embodies the joint commit
ment of the United States and Colombian governments to ensure inclusive prosperity and equal opportunities to advance the livelihoods of African descendant and Indigenous communities in both countries.
Dr. Norma Lozano-Jackson, Director of the Office of International Programs at Benedict College, was appointed by the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities to lead the CAPREE subcommittee on Education. Her efforts to garner support from several HBCU presidents including Dr. Ward eventually led to the partnership between SAU and the University of the Pacific resulting in this agreement.
SAU’s Director of International Programs Dr. Kanton Reynolds played a key role in negotiating the agreement between both institutions. His visit to the University of the Pacific in April 2016 was part of a half-year effort which culminated with the signing of the agreement.
“This agreement demonstrates that Saint Augustine’s University is committed to producing global scholars and citizens, which is a requirement in today’s society if you are going to remain competitive both individually and as an institution,” Reynolds said. “It also demonstrates that HBCUs like Saint Augustine’s University can and should be active and relevant entities in international education.”
