Saint Martin’s, Academy of International Education recognize 25 years of success

November 15, 2011

Lacey, Washington — For 25 years, Saint Martin’s University has enjoyed a strong partnership with the Academy of International Education (AIE). Last night, to launch the campus-wide celebration of International Education Week, Saint Martin’s marked the quarter-century milestone with a special anniversary event.

The anniversary celebration, held at the University’s Norman Worthington Conference Center, featured keynote speaker Samuel M. Shepherd. Former president of the National Association of Japan America Societies in Washington, D.C., and recipient of the Order of Rising Sun from the Japanese government, Shepherd was instrumental in establishing the AIE program in Washington state.

Since the inception of its partnership with Saint Martin’s, AIE has sent more than 300 Japanese students to the school’s Lacey campus. Most of the AIE students stay at Saint Martin’s for multiple years to complete their English language study and undergraduate education.

Established in 1981, AIE has implemented various study abroad and English language programs, both in Japan and in the U.S. Its primary goal is to create an educational environment where students have opportunities to become “whole and integrated” persons. Saint Martin’s liberal arts tradition and caring campus community, deeply rooted in the institution’s Benedictine values, have provided an ideal venue for the AIE program to flourish. AIE students at Saint Martin’s have been active in the campus community through their involvement in the University Chorale, International Club, Campus Ministry and other organizations.

In addition to Saint Martin’s University, AIE has worked mainly with other higher education institutions in the Pacific Northwest, including Pacific Lutheran University, University of Washington and University of British Columbia.

Events for International Education Week take place on the Saint Martin’s campus all week long. Tomorrow’s event, “Taste of Culture,” is a perennial favorite sponsored by the University’s Office of International Programs and Development, International Club and Bon Appétit. The event features international dishes created by and shared among students, staff and faculty. For more information, visit http://www.stmartin.edu/oipd/Events/EducationWeek.aspx.

Saint Martin’s University is an independent four-year, coeducational university located on a 380-acre wooded campus in Lacey, Washington. Established in 1895 by the Catholic Order of Saint Benedict, the University is one of 14 Benedictine colleges and universities in the United States and Canada, and the only one west of the Rocky Mountains. Saint Martin’s University prepares students for successful lives through its 21 majors and six graduate programs spanning the liberal arts, business, education and engineering. Saint Martin’s welcomes 1,250 students from many ethnic and religious backgrounds to its main campus, and 650 more to its extension campuses located at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Everett College, Centralia College and Tacoma Community College. Visit the Saint Martin’s University website at www.stmartin.edu.

For more information

Jennifer Fellinger
Vice president for marketing and communications
Saint Martin’s University
360-438-4332
jfellinger@stmartin.edu