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Photo by Reed Hutchinson
UCLA Photographic Services
Svenson, with Finland's highest honor. |
Expanding UCLA's International Reach
Knighthood for a tireless advocate
by Philip Little
ucla today
It’s been a little more than 60 years since Elwin Svenson
first stepped onto the UCLA campus. And if he keeps up the jet-setting
pace he’s had here over all those years, it may well be another
60 before he decides to move on.
At 79, Svenson is an indefatigable advocate of UCLA and its efforts
to reach out to the rest of the world. For more than 40 years, he
served in leadership positions focused on developing international
relations and cooperative-education programs with universities and
governmental agencies in Africa, Asia, Latin America, Europe and
the Middle East.
As vice chancellor of institutional relations, Svenson led the
first delegation of UCLA faculty to China in January 1979, making
the campus one of the first American universities to establish academic
ties with China after its normalization of relations with the United
States.
“My UCLA colleagues and I were pleased to be pioneers in
establishing international ties with China and in helping that vast
country connect with the West,” Svenson said. “After
our initial visit, various UCLA schools and departments went on
to develop their own long-term research and educational programs
with Chinese universities and research institutes.”
Svenson also helped ensure the success of four English as a Second
Language centers that faculty developed to educate Chinese leaders
in science, technology, economics and business in order to work
and study in the United States.
Although he formally retired as vice chancellor in 1991, this triple
alumnus — he has a bachelor’s and master’s degree
as well as a doctorate of education from UCLA — has continued
to serve the university. Svenson is executive director of international
programs for the Global Access Program (GAP), part of the Fully
Employed MBA Program at the Anderson School of Management. In this
role, he develops and maintains institutional relationships with
partners from trade and technology-development agencies in Finland,
Australia, Italy, New Zealand, Ireland and Chile. He is also searching
for new partners in Asia.
In recognition of his efforts through GAP to help Finnish start-up
companies expand into foreign markets, the government of Finland
recently bestowed its highest honor upon Svenson. At a ceremony
last December at the Los Angeles residence of Finnish Consul General
Manu Virtamo, “Sven,” as his UCLA colleagues adoringly
call him, received the Knight, First Class, of the Order of the
White Rose of Finland. Svenson received the medal award from Finnish
Ambassador Jukka Valtasaari as the honoree’s wife, Polly,
three of his four children and their families proudly looked on.
In his usual self-effacing way, Svenson redirected all the attention
given him to his beloved university and others, including 50 representatives
of companies and partners participating in GAP.
“This was both a surprise and an honor,” he said. “Many
UCLA faculty and students made major contributions that allowed
the Finnish government to give this individual recognition for what
UCLA has done for Finland.”
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