The 2010-2011 academic year has been a busy one for City University of Seattle in Mexico. Not only did three new partnerships get off the ground but Provost Steven Olswang and I visited our partners in Puebla, San Luis Potosi, and Monterrey April 27- May 5 to discuss new collaboration projects.

Our trip started in Mexico City on followed by a two-hour bus ride to Puebla (about 75 miles southeast from Mexico City). We arrived in Puebla around 3 a.m. because our flight from Los Angeles was delayed. Contrary to stereotypes on televisions, Mexico’s buses are extremely comfortable. In other words, there wasn’t anyone carrying chickens on board. We also felt very safe during the short trip.

CityU’s partner in Puebla is Universidad Popular Autónoma del Estado de Puebla (UPAEP). Through this partnership, we currently offer our Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) and Bachelor of Arts in Management (BAM). Based on our meetings, we will possibly offer the Bachelor of Science in Communications, the Bachelor of Arts in Applied Psychology, and special training sessions for UPAEP’s faculty. We also visited UPAEP’s sister campus in Tehuacan. This visit generated great interest in our education and new Ed.D. program.

While Provost Olswang and I met with our colleagues, our Senior Communication Specialist Melissa Hoyos interviewed students in our double degree program.

That Sunday, Melissa and her fiancé Said Jaimes, were kind to give us a quick overview of Mexico City and we visited Chapultepec Castle. Since Dr. Olswang is very adventurous and he wanted to eat the local specialty, Melissa and Said took us to their favorite torta (sandwich) stand. All I can say it was beyond delicious!

That Monday, we visited our partner in San Luis Potosi, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosi (UASLP). Although, we were there for just a day, we were able to meet leadership from our four new schools. They welcomed the idea of a double degree option with our BAM, BSBA, and MBA.

We also had lunch with Rector Mario Garcia Valdez and other key administrators. Rector Garcia Valdez and Gerardo Vilet, Vice President of External Affairs, will visit CityU May 29 – June 1. We are excited to host Rector Garcia Valdez and Mr. Vilet and to further increase our high quality programs to anyone with a desire to learn through this vibrant partnership.

That Tuesday and Wednesday, we met with our partner in Monterrey Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon (UANL). The Dean of the Facultad de Contaduria Publica y Administracion (FACPYA) welcomed us to the campus and we had a very good meeting. This partnership as of spring quarter has 19 students. In fact, we have a small group of students who are doing the program completely online and who will graduate in December 2011. We also had a very fruitful meeting with the students who shared their experience with Provost Olswang. Based on the students’ feedback, both verbal and written, all of them are very pleased with their CityU and UANL education and the opportunity offered to them through this partnership.

We also meet with the Dean of the School of Philosophy and Letters, Dr. Maria Luisa Rodriguez, and her special assistant for international projects, Dr. Lupita Rodriguez. Dr. Rodriguez supervised the faculty who taught our English 211 on the ground at UANL. Based on our meetings, we will continue to expand our programs with UANL and possibly offer programs from the School of Education.

Overall, our trip to Mexico was very fruitful as it relates to new program offerings and new collaboration projects. As we move forward, CityU will be on the forefront of new student initiatives that will benefit not only business students but students studying all our degree programs and certificates.

As a globally connected university, we welcome the new students from our partnerships to the CityU family. Some of these students will be visiting CityU this summer as part of their double degree program that integrates study abroad options.

Also, I want to thank Provost Olswang for accompanying me to our three new sites. I look forward to the next academic year as we launch the BAAP with CETYS University. By providing education opportunities throughout Mexico, we are pleased to offer education opportunity from all angles.