A trip to Southeast Asia brought a six-figure donation and the possibility of new study abroad programs for Ohio University.
OU President Roderick McDavis, along with four other faculty members and administrators, traveled to Asia during Winter Intersession to meet with alumni, fundraise and lay the groundwork for new study abroad programs.
“Southeast Asia … is one of the areas in the world where we’re going to seek increased collaboration,” McDavis said. “We have great friends there, people who love Ohio University.”
The group visited Universiti Teknologi MARA in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and Hong Kong Baptist University in Hong Kong. OU has partnerships with both universities. The trip lasted from Dec. 6 to 14. The president’s total travel costs were $3,086.
“Hong Kong Baptist has a branch campus now in southern China, and we’re going to explore expanding our relationship with them to include their campus in southern China,” said Dan Weiner, executive director of the Center for International Studies, who traveled with McDavis.
Bryan Benchoff, vice president for University Advancement; Graham Stewart, assistant vice president for Alumni Relations; and Karla Guinigundo, associate director of the Center for International Studies, went on the trip as well.
OU administrators are also working on developing a study abroad program to Malaysia with Universiti Teknologi MARA. So far, they have discussed offering programs for business, communication studies and health, Weiner said.
McDavis met with potential donors on the trip and secured a $750,000 donation for the Tun Abdul Razak Chair endowed professorship in OU’s Center for Southeast Asian Studies.
“The donor development work on the trip was very successful, both in strengthening alumni and donor relationships for future gifts,” said Becky Watts, McDavis' chief of staff, in an email.
The Yayasan Sime Darby foundation, which focuses partly on promoting education, donated the money for the chair. Professor Habibah Ashari, director of the International Education College at Universiti Teknologi MARA, is in her first year as the Tun Abdul Razak Chair professor. The appointment lasts two years.
Faculty and administrators who went on the trip also held alumni events in both countries. OU has about 2,400 alumni in Malaysia and about 400 in Hong Kong, McDavis said. About 200 people attended the Malaysia event, and about 100 people were at the event in Hong Kong.
“We thoroughly enjoyed our experiences in Malaysia and Hong Kong,” McDavis said. “We’re looking forward to a bright future with our friends (there).”
pe219007@ohiou.edu
— Rebecca McKinsey contributed to this article
Trip Info:
— McDavis’ total cost for the trip was $3,086.
— The Tatasan Sime Darby foundation donation for an endowed chair at OU totaled $750,000.
