Badger Ideals, Global Connections
By Christine Lampe
Three years ago, Europe 2003 was merely an idea bandied about the dining room table of Norway alumni club leader Rolf Paulssen MS'66, PhD'68. But this June, the characteristics and connections that brand — and bind — Badgers were brought to Oslo and taken to a new level.
It's nearly impossible to go anywhere in Wisconsin without spotting a UW-Madison T-shirt, Bucky flag, or Motion W license plate. But that's to be expected — there are nearly 120,000 alumni living in state and, geography aside, Badgers are a loyal breed. Which is why it shouldn't surprise me to hear stories about UW grads all over the world discovering each other in workplaces, on trains, or as volunteers in the Peace Corps and forming an instant bond.
Yet, as I perused the participant list before leaving for Europe 2003, the UW's international alumni conference, I was startled to see a familiar name: Lenore Maruyama '61, MA'62. In 2001, we met on a Wisconsin Alumni Association educational tour of Australia and New Zealand. I smiled to think that we would connect once again, this time in Oslo.
Three years ago, Europe 2003 was merely an idea bandied about the dining room table of Norway alumni club leader Rolf Paulssen MS'66, PhD'68. But this June, the characteristics and connections that brand — and bind — Badgers were brought to Oslo and taken to a new level.
It's nearly impossible to go anywhere in Wisconsin without spotting a UW-Madison T-shirt, Bucky flag, or Motion W license plate. But that's to be expected — there are nearly 120,000 alumni living in state and, geography aside, Badgers are a loyal breed. Which is why it shouldn't surprise me to hear stories about UW grads all over the world discovering each other in workplaces, on trains, or as volunteers in the Peace Corps and forming an instant bond.
Yet, as I perused the participant list before leaving for Europe 2003, the UW's international alumni conference, I was startled to see a familiar name: Lenore Maruyama '61, MA'62. In 2001, we met on a Wisconsin Alumni Association educational tour of Australia and New Zealand. I smiled to think that we would connect once again, this time in Oslo.
Maruyama was just one of 125 participants who expended dollars and hours and miles, traveling from twelve different countries to attend Europe 2003. Of course, the trip offered a chance to meet high-profile individuals such as stem cell visionary Jamie Thomson, U.S. Ambassador to Norway John Doyle Ong, and Perditlev Simonsen, the mayor of Oslo. But the more I talked with participants during our stay, the more it became apparent that in their own ways, each had anticipated this conference as an opportunity to revive traditions and make new connections.
That was certainly true for Maruyama. We caught up with each other at breakfast on the first day of the conference, both happy to see a familiar face. But as she pointed out, "I've lived in Hawaii — two thousand miles from the nearest landfall — since 1996 and am always amazed at how frequently UW-Madison ties surface." Part of the reason Maruyama made the trip to Oslo was because the conference and subsequent Alumni College Abroad tour in Voss made an attractive vacation package. And though she didn't anticipate meeting anyone else she already knew, I had a feeling she would enjoy the new connections she was about to make.
Of course, that was a top goal for conference organizers. When Paula Bonner MS'78, the Wisconsin Alumni Association's president and CEO, kicked off Europe 2003's first session, she said, "Over the next few days, we look forward to taking 'Badger Ideals, Global Connections' to the next level." Honorary Chair Paul Collins '58 followed that sentiment, saying, "Europe 2003 will be considered a success if you come away feeling it was informative, intellectually stimulating, and enjoyable." Neither host need have worried.
That was certainly true for Maruyama. We caught up with each other at breakfast on the first day of the conference, both happy to see a familiar face. But as she pointed out, "I've lived in Hawaii — two thousand miles from the nearest landfall — since 1996 and am always amazed at how frequently UW-Madison ties surface." Part of the reason Maruyama made the trip to Oslo was because the conference and subsequent Alumni College Abroad tour in Voss made an attractive vacation package. And though she didn't anticipate meeting anyone else she already knew, I had a feeling she would enjoy the new connections she was about to make.
Of course, that was a top goal for conference organizers. When Paula Bonner MS'78, the Wisconsin Alumni Association's president and CEO, kicked off Europe 2003's first session, she said, "Over the next few days, we look forward to taking 'Badger Ideals, Global Connections' to the next level." Honorary Chair Paul Collins '58 followed that sentiment, saying, "Europe 2003 will be considered a success if you come away feeling it was informative, intellectually stimulating, and enjoyable." Neither host need have worried.
Conference attendees learned that the Wisconsin Idea - the renowned Badger ideal, which involves extending the intellectual capital of the university to the entire state and beyond — has become increasingly global in nature. They learned, among other impressive facts, that each year, UW faculty make three hundred invention disclosures to the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, and that the UW Graduate School is currently educating students from ninety-six different countries. They also learned that the European Union is moving toward a more flexible attitude on stem cell research, and that companies worldwide will likely adopt the European model of corporate governance.
And, true to the spirit of free thinking at UW-Madison, they debated: whether the UW — or any other entity — should be allowed to own stem cells, whether it was appropriate for the U.S. to bypass the U.N. and wage war in Iraq, and whether there's a test for personal integrity that can put truly ethical leaders in charge of our companies.
Through it all, conference attendees heeded Bonner's call, making unexpected connections and taking existing ties to a new intensity. Europe 2003's most memorable associations were old and new, personal and professional, and born in academics and politics. And they happened both inside and outside the classroom.
And, true to the spirit of free thinking at UW-Madison, they debated: whether the UW — or any other entity — should be allowed to own stem cells, whether it was appropriate for the U.S. to bypass the U.N. and wage war in Iraq, and whether there's a test for personal integrity that can put truly ethical leaders in charge of our companies.
Through it all, conference attendees heeded Bonner's call, making unexpected connections and taking existing ties to a new intensity. Europe 2003's most memorable associations were old and new, personal and professional, and born in academics and politics. And they happened both inside and outside the classroom.
Many facets of the conference illustrated ways that Wisconsin-Norwegian partnerships have flourished over hundreds of years. And from the very first day, Europe 2003 participants could note a deepening of these long-standing relations. When UW-Madison Chancellor John Wiley MS'65, PhD'68 spoke at the welcome reception in Oslo's City Hall, he said, "I'm convinced that success belongs to institutions that forge alliances — within a university, with other universities, and internationally." His words alluded to a ceremony that would take place the following day, making the University of Oslo the first European university outside of Britain invited to join the Worldwide Universities Network. This consortium was created in response to the challenges of globalization, bringing together research-led universities and corporate partners to address complex problems of international concern.
Of course, business connections were a focus throughout the conference, culminating at the gala dinner, where Wisconsin Department of Commerce representative Mary Regal '78 presented Arne Martin Bolstad '67, MS'69, a leader in the Alumni Club of Norway, with a document inducting the chapter as an Honorary State Promotion Office. Under this agreement, the club will help pursue opportunities for joint economic development and serve as a resource for Wisconsin businesses in Norway. As Bolstad accepted the certificate, he said, "This is a huge surprise. On behalf of all club members, I will use this tool to repay (Wisconsin) for all we've earned."
Of course, business connections were a focus throughout the conference, culminating at the gala dinner, where Wisconsin Department of Commerce representative Mary Regal '78 presented Arne Martin Bolstad '67, MS'69, a leader in the Alumni Club of Norway, with a document inducting the chapter as an Honorary State Promotion Office. Under this agreement, the club will help pursue opportunities for joint economic development and serve as a resource for Wisconsin businesses in Norway. As Bolstad accepted the certificate, he said, "This is a huge surprise. On behalf of all club members, I will use this tool to repay (Wisconsin) for all we've earned."
While the daily discussions at Europe 2003 were engaging, not all were easy. Day two of the conference caused quite a stir - both in the classroom and in the community. An esteemed panel addressed the issue of transatlantic relations, and Norway's two leading TV channels — NRK and TV2 — were there to cover it. For starters, the panel featured such high-ranking officials as Ambassador Ong; Alfred Defago, former Swiss ambassador to the U.S.; and Knut Vollebaek, former Norwegian foreign minister and current ambassador to the U.S. It was the first time Ong and Vollebaek had been seen together in public since the countries' disagreement over how to handle Iraq.
A frank and engaging discussion ensued about the relationship between Europeans and the U.S. concerning such issues as terrorism, the war in Iraq, and the role of NATO. That evening, NRK quoted Ong as saying, "Any relationship can get better, and I'm sure that goes for U.S.-Norwegian relations as well. I believe there is potential for continued development of mutual interests and mutual gain."
A frank and engaging discussion ensued about the relationship between Europeans and the U.S. concerning such issues as terrorism, the war in Iraq, and the role of NATO. That evening, NRK quoted Ong as saying, "Any relationship can get better, and I'm sure that goes for U.S.-Norwegian relations as well. I believe there is potential for continued development of mutual interests and mutual gain."
That same afternoon, Conchita Poncini-Jimenez MS'64 brought her own distinct perspective to transatlantic relations, addressing the role that women can — and have — played in the peace movement throughout history. Her statements impressed Norwegian club leader Rasmus Falck MBA'69, and he passed her name along to the Norwegian University Women, an organization of professional women who are part of the Confederation of Norwegian Business and Industry. Poncini-Jimenez extended her stay in Oslo to address the group on the following Monday, and was thrilled at the additional opportunity to convey her message about gender equity. "The UW has always been global in thinking — I learned that from another international student thirty-five or forty years ago," she said. "But the only way to effect a true paradigm shift is to continue having conferences like this one."
I was so busy noting the nuances that made Europe 2003 memorable that I didn't sit down to talk with Maruyama again until the final event of the conference, the gala dinner reception at Holmenkollen Park, home to Norway's most famous ski jump and renowned for its spectacular views of the city. We recalled our earlier conversation, and Maruyama chatted about the new acquaintances she'd made — and, to her surprise, some old ones, too. "Many of the participants who had attended the first International Alumni Convocation in Madison in 1999 were also on this trip," she said. "We reconnected in Oslo."
I was so busy noting the nuances that made Europe 2003 memorable that I didn't sit down to talk with Maruyama again until the final event of the conference, the gala dinner reception at Holmenkollen Park, home to Norway's most famous ski jump and renowned for its spectacular views of the city. We recalled our earlier conversation, and Maruyama chatted about the new acquaintances she'd made — and, to her surprise, some old ones, too. "Many of the participants who had attended the first International Alumni Convocation in Madison in 1999 were also on this trip," she said. "We reconnected in Oslo."
A few weeks later, when Maruyama had returned from Europe 2003 and the Alumni College Abroad trip that followed in Voss, she e-mailed me a postscript to our last exchange. "When we last talked, I was anticipating beautiful scenery in Voss, and I was not disappointed. In retrospect, I realize that each day in Norway brought forth something more spectacular than the day before," she wrote.
Maruyama's is one of many stories that came to life at Europe 2003. Those I've missed are probably being told right now over cubicle walls, on a train, or via e-mail. And somewhere in the world, it's dinnertime, where one of these stories will spark the sequel to this conference of invaluable connections.
Maruyama's is one of many stories that came to life at Europe 2003. Those I've missed are probably being told right now over cubicle walls, on a train, or via e-mail. And somewhere in the world, it's dinnertime, where one of these stories will spark the sequel to this conference of invaluable connections.
- The disagreement between the U.S. and Norway over how to handle Iraq made for an engaging and frank discussion between Ambassadors Vollebaek and Ong. Read a transcript of the broadcast coverage of the Europe 2003 session titled Transatlantic Relations: International Security, the Fight against Terrorism, Institutional Multilateralism and the Role of NATO
- Did you know Knut Vollebaek played a key negotiating role during the war in Kosovo? Read more on Ambassador Vollebaek and the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Washington, D. C.
