April 2009
Volume 1 Issue 6

 

 

 

 


International Programs, Northwood University
4000 Whiting Drive, Midland, Michigan, 48640-2398 USA
Ph: 989·837·4327 | FAX: 989·837·4247
www.northwood.edu/international/

 

From the Dean

Mamiko Reeves and I recently returned from trips to Europe, the Middle East and Asia, and each time we travel to our international program centers, we are impressed by the wonderful hospitality and working relationship that has developed between Northwood University and its overseas partners. It is a relationship based on mutual friendship, trust and respect. So, on behalf of everyone at Northwood, thank you for your good work and for your kindness in hosting us whenever we visit your campus. We will always strive to return the warm hospitality you have shown to us.

Because our program in Bahrain has not yet formally begun, the "spotlight" series on that partner will appear in a later issue. So, this month, the newsletter features the spotlight on our staff in the U.S. I’m very proud of the hard-working and dedicated professionals who work in our office, and are fully supported by colleagues across Northwood University. Our work is supported by our president, vice presidents, faculty members, academic deans, and colleagues in Finance, Human Resources, Academic Records, and many other offices.

In successive issues, we’ll feature the biographies and ideas of our overseas administrators, faculty and students who work long hours to ensure student learning and success.

This issue also features a piece that appears in our catalog about "the Northwood Idea". The ideas expressed in this statement of philosophy are more important than ever as the world struggles with an economic downturn. While the free-enterprise system is by no means perfect, it is the system that we believe leads to sustained prosperity across social and economic classes in all societies and culture. How it is practiced may differ, but the basic ideas have taken root across much of the world today.

As always, thank you for your terrific work with our overseas students!

Best regards,

Lance B. Lewis, Ph.D

Lance B. Lewis, Ph.D.
Dean of International Programs

What is the Northwood Idea?

We view a Northwood University education as an investment in your future. Any person who devotes time to a Northwood education gives up the opportunity to devote that time to all the other pursuits he or she might engage in during that time.

The Value of The Idea

We believe that competitive, productive effort can overcome obstacles, solve problems, and achieve goals; that human beings can make a difference in the world in which they live; that political and economic freedom are of paramount importance in releasing creativity and productivity; that sacrifice--savings--is a necessary prerequisite to progress; that equality of opportunity based on contribution and inequality of reward using the same criteria are not only appropriate, but the necessary conditions; in a system not forced into conformity with some master plan; that it is the differences among us that make us interesting and useful to each other; in the freedom to fail. We must be free to bear the positive and negative consequences of our actions; that in a competitive system, all who participate benefit from it; we dedicate ourselves to the elimination of artificial barriers to equal opportunity for all human beings. Racial, religious and sexual barriers are anathema to us; that an understanding and appreciation of the arts and humanities is a primary source of human enrichment in the lives of productive human beings; that education is never something that one person can do to another. It is, rather, something two people do together. This means that an educational institution is, primarily, a facilitator of knowledge.

We practice a healthy skepticism of large and powerful government because we think history has clearly demonstrated that such structures move rapidly from being of the people toward being over the people, and freedom is lost in the balance. Our intolerance of monolithic power is consistent across the business, labor, and government spectrum. We suspect, furthermore, that as a society we cannot gain from the establishment of legal monopolies except in a very few and constrained circumstances.

This is The Northwood Idea.

For more about NU’s mission, code of ethics and outcomes visit: http://www.northwood.edu/aboutus/.

Your International Programs Team

Patricia "Pat" Armstrong

Director of International Student Services

Pat Armstrong

Who maintains student records, issues transcripts and does graduation audits? It’s Pat Armstrong, and she has an important job making sure that records are accurate and that graduation audits are correct. Pat also oversees immigration compliance at our U.S. campuses and assists international students with taxation issues. Pat holds a BBA from Saginaw Valley State University and a Masters degree in Economics from Michigan State University and is a native of Rochester and Portage, Michigan. She is a very proud grandmother of twin girls!

Linda Dick

International Programs Coordinator

Linda Dick

Who answers the phones, coordinates mailings, helps maintain student records, works with students on study abroad and exchange and keeps our office organized? It’s Linda Dick, and she works hard to ensure that our office runs smoothly. Students appreciate her helpful attitude and we appreciate how she always knows where files are and how to "get things" done at Northwood University. Linda is a native of Coleman, Michigan, and is also a proud grandmother of two!

Mamiko Reeves

Director of International Education

Mamiko Reeves

Who oversees study abroad and exchange, serves as the liaison with programs in China, and helps students and faculty with intercultural communication and "internationalization" efforts? It’s Mamiko Reeves, and she adds that creative touch for overseas experiences for our students in the U.S. while also working so well with our colleagues in China. Mamiko holds a BA degree from Nanzan University in Japan, and a Masters degree in Counseling from Central Michigan University, and is a native of Nagoya, Japan. She is the proud mother of two growing teenage boys!

Update. . . on Strategic Themes

We continue to work on our strategic themes for this year, which include progress toward the following:

Please contribute!

We welcome ideas and articles and photos from faculty and staff at all of our IPC sites. Submit any ideas to:

Linda Dick
International Programs Coordinator
dickl@northwood.edu