News Releases

 8/16/06

Former Dean, Wife Donate $25,000 for International Educators

George and Eleanor Woodyard have pledged $25,000 to KU Endowment for the Office of International Programs to endow the George and Eleanor Woodyard International Educator Award.


The award will recognize a faculty member for outstanding contributions to internationalization efforts at the university. Beginning in 2007, the endowed fund will provide a cash award of $1,000 to the winner.


Woodyard joined the Department of Spanish and Portuguese in 1966. He held positions in the graduate school and academic affairs, and in 1989 he was named KU's first dean of international studies. Woodyard created and strengthened exchange programs, both on the Lawrence campus and for the KU Medical School, and established many KU alumni chapters overseas.


Woodyard created an academic journal on Latin American theatre in 1967 and continues to serve as editor into its 40th year. His work in the field has been recognized with prizes and awards in Miami, Bogotá, Caracas, Mexico, Buenos Aires and Cairo.


Woodyard chaired the Sister Cities Board and was involved in establishing both of Lawrence's sister cities. He co-founded and chaired Kansas International (KI), a local business group. He has sponsored programs with Rotary International and Heart-to-Heart.


The Woodyards have hosted hundreds of international visitors in their home and have both participated many times in study abroad programs in Mexico and Spain. Woodyard received the national 1997 Phi Beta Delta Faculty Award in international education.


"The Woodyards' gift will ensure that funding is available to continue to recognize outstanding faculty contributions to international education at KU. To have a faculty award named after the Woodyards is most appropriate since George Woodyard is an outstanding example of an international scholar, teacher, and administrator. George and Eleanor have worked to internationalize the community as well as the university. We thank them for leaving this as their legacy to future generations of internationally minded faculty," said Diana Carlin, dean of the Graduate School and International Programs.

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