Screaming Eagles in Germany

This story was provided by Heidi Gregori-Gahan and Dr. Emilija Zlatkovska. 

A delegation of USI representatives, including USI President Ron Rochon and  Mrs. Lynn Wade Rochon; Heidi Gregori-Gahan, International Advancement Specialist and Associate Provost for International Programs Emerita; Janet Johnson, Director of Alumni Engagement and Volunteer USI; Dr. Silvia Rode, Assistant Dean of Liberal Arts; and Dr. Emilija Zlatkovska, Executive Director of Center for International Programs visited Osnabrück, Germany—Evansville’s sister city—in May to participate in and celebrate partnerships and USI alumni located throughout the world.  

During the visit, the USI delegation first helped celebrate the sister city relationship between Osnabrück and Evansville, along with Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke. The Mayor of Osnabrück, Katharina Pötter, officially opened the square dedicated to “Sister City Friendship” and unveiled a new monument designating all of the sister cities and their distance from Osnabrück. Pötter also hosted a reception in the “Peace Hall,” where she welcomed USI staff and international alumni, giving an overview of the historic significance of the location following the end of the 30 Years War in 1648.  

Rochon then went on to participate in an official signing ceremony with Dr. Susanne Menzel-Riedl, President of the University of Osnabrück, and Dr. Andrea Braun von Reinersdorff, Vice President for International Affairs from the University of Applied Sciences Osnabrück, where they solidified the continuance of a longstanding partnership between the two universities. Over the past 30 years, more than 425 students, faculty and staff have participated in exchange programs to and from USI. The continuation of these agreements solidifies the importance the collaboration holds for international outreach at USI. Meetings were also held to discuss ways to continue and extend the exchange into other areas of study, which currently includes engineering. Discussions on collaboration will continue in August 2023 when Menzel-Riedl, President of the University of Osnabrück will visit USI.  

 “I continue to support the ongoing partnership we have with our sister institutions. These relationships of bringing faculty and staff and students to Evansville, but also sending ours to Osnabrück, means the world to our respective institutions,” says Rochon. “Watching intellectual prowess at its best with our students on both sides of this coin is something that we, as academics, should always cherish and enhance. Providing these opportunities for students, faculty and staff for intellectual social and cultural exchanges continues to bring the University to the forefront of our mission, goals and objectives.” 

The final marquee event of the trip was the first USI international alumni reunion outside of the U.S., held May 12-14. This reunion emphasized three important milestones for USI: that USI has graduated 50,000 students since its founding, the 25th anniversary of the Center for International Programs and the more-than-30-year international partnership between USI and the University of Osnabrück and the University of Applied Sciences Osnabrück.  

Several points made the city of Osnabrück, called the “Peace City” because of its historic significance, the best location for this international reunion. First, the chair of the International Alumni Network, Mauricio Paniagua (Bolivia, 2012), and his wife Mareike, whom he met while she was an exchange student from Osnabrück in 2011, live in Germany with their young daughter. The planned renewal and celebration of USI’s longstanding partnership with the University of Osnabrück and the University of Applied Sciences Osnabrück also made the German city a perfect spot for the reunion. Finally, more than 100 USI international alumni are from the region of Germany around Osnabrück.   

“With 60 participants representing 16 countries, the program was a huge success by all accounts,” says Gregori-Gahan, USI International Advancement Specialist and adviser to the International Alumni Network (IAN). “Some of the alumni traveled from as far away as Mexico, Panama and California to attend the event. Some people had not seen each other in over 20 years. The sense of connectedness was palpable, as we shared special memories and caught up with each other’s lives.  It was so powerful to hear testimonies from our international alumni about the impact USI has had in their lives, how grateful they are and what a special bond they have with the USI community.”  

Johnson, Director of Alumni Engagement and Volunteer USI, adds, “When we engage with alumni and help them connect with each other and their University community in such a way, it is a strong reminder of the powerful value our alumni network offers each of us and reminds us that creating these meaningful relationships provides a greater understanding of the world, making it smaller and more accessible. This reunion was a milestone for USI as we celebrate surpassing 50,000 alumni who are making an impact worldwide.”  

The International Alumni Network became an affiliate of the USI Alumni Association in 2022 and is led by the 33-member International Alumni Advisory Council in collaboration with Gregori-Gahan. The IAN is already discussing options for next year’s reunion.  “I think we all felt like we were part of something very special as we gathered for this inaugural reunion—it was truly magical,” says Gregori-Gahan. “I am so grateful to the USI team, our colleagues in Germany and our international alumni for making this inaugural program such a success.” 

“I believe that the experience we just enjoyed in Osnabruck was unique and a once-in-a-lifetime kind of opportunity to reconnect to rebuild relationships and also extend fellowship to others around the globe,” says Rochon of the success and the importance of reunion. “I think one of the greatest memories I will hold on to forever is just observing our former students hugging each other and telling stories about how special Evansville and USI were and remains in their lives and how they too are hopeful that their children and their children's children will get to enjoy the same kinds of experiences.”