In November, The University of Tulsa celebrates the 25th anniversary of its partnership with Siegen University in Germany with a visit by a delegation from Siegen during TU Homecoming Week 2023. Research and educational synergy, amazing student exchange opportunities, enhanced collaborative research, career and internship opportunities, and so much more have come out of this global relationship.
The autumn of 1996 marked a significant milestone as Siegen’s inaugural exchange students came to study at TU. This educational journey was made possible by Lewis Duncan, then-provost of TU, and Albert Walenta, former rector of Siegen. Their commitment to global studies led to the General Agreement for Cooperation, a pact that laid the foundation for a mutually beneficial partnership that took effect Feb. 3, 1998, and has been renewed every five years since then.
This program holds the distinction of being TU’s longest-running exchange program, offering bilateral student exchange and sending more than 70 students with majors primarily from the German language; international business and language; international engineering and language; and international science and language programs. On the other end, Siegen has enriched TU’s campus by sending more than 100 students from majors across all colleges.
One notable participant in the TU-Siegen exchange program is esteemed alumnus Eric Marshall, the visionary behind Marshall’s Brewing Co. Marshall’s journey in Siegen no doubt left a mark on his path to becoming a successful businessowner and brewmaster.
TU’s dedicated faculty members also benefit from the valuable partnership with Siegen. Professors like Laura Stevens, Victor Udwin, Mike Troilo, and Lara Foley have had the opportunity to contribute to the academic exchange by teaching or visiting Siegen.
The idea for this collaboration emerged when Udwin and former Professor J. Markham Collins and were searching for a German partner institution to facilitate exchanges between students in the Collins College of Business and German majors. In the partnership’s early phases, Udwin played a pivotal role by serving as the instructor of record, evaluating his students’ performances while they lived with German families, fully immersed in the culture.
Looking ahead, the future of TU and Siegen is brighter than ever. More faculty and student research exchanges and internships are on the horizon. Siegen will be a location for JumpstartTU, a study abroad program for incoming first-year students, starting in summer 2024 with travel courses scheduled for next academic year.
Fostering long-lasting and enriching relationships like these reflects TU’s mission to provide an unparalleled experience for students, staff, and faculty. The campus’ commitment to gaining global perspectives will continue to grow as TU forges additional partnerships akin to the one with Siegen.