Education Secretary Margaret Spellings to Lead Delegation of U.S. University Presidents to Latin America

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings today announced that she will lead a delegation of eight U.S. college and university presidents with the U.S. Department of State to Chile and Brazil from August 18-24, 2007, touting the importance of higher education partnerships and exchanges between the United States and other nations. While in Latin America, the delegation will meet with students, university, government and business leaders, carrying the message that the United States welcomes international students to study in this country and encourages partnerships and exchanges with U.S. postsecondary institutions.

“I am excited to travel to Chile and Brazil and explore ways to strengthen the ongoing bond between the United States and these countries through educational partnerships and two-way exchanges,” Secretary Spellings said. “As we travel through the Latin American region, my goal for this delegation is to promote international education as an opportunity to prepare our next generation of global leaders for success.”

The historic pairing of the U.S. government and higher education leaders announced today was established as a result of the U.S. University Presidents Summit on International Education, co-hosted by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Secretary Spellings in January 2006. The delegation to Latin America is the third high-level delegation of college and university presidents sent to a key world region to promote the value of U.S. higher education and engage in discussions on the future and importance of international collaborations. Last fall, Secretary Spellings led the first delegation to the Asian countries of Japan, Korea and China. Additionally, Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Karen Hughes led a similar group to India earlier this year.

Last month, President George W. Bush joined international leaders for the first-ever White House Conference on the Americas, emphasizing education as a key to continued success in the Western Hemisphere. Secretary Spellings continues to echo the President’s commitment to expanding opportunities for students throughout the Americas by underscoring partnerships in higher education as a key to prosperity in the 21st century global economy.

The delegation to Latin America includes the following:

U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings
U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Thomas Farrell
U.S. Under Secretary of Education Sara Martinez Tucker
U.S. Assistant Secretary of Education Lauren Maddox
U.S. Secretary of Education’s Senior Counselor Robin Gilchrist
President Susan C. Aldridge, University of Maryland University College President Gregory Geoffroy, Iowa State University
President John Hennessy, Stanford University
President James B. Milliken, University of Nebraska
Chancellor Sean O’Keefe, Louisiana State University
President Eduardo J. Padrón, Miami Dade College
Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton, Washington University in St. Louis
Chancellor Henry Yang, University of California, Santa Barbara