Chancellor Gearhart Leads ‘Academic Trade Mission’ to Panama, Renews University Ties
Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli (center) visits with Chancellor G. David Gearhart and a delegation of Arkansas farm and business leaders.
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – University of Arkansas Chancellor G. David Gearhart led a delegation of alumni, administrators and state business leaders on an “academic trade mission” to Panama in October that included a visit with a distinguished university graduate: Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli, class of 1973.
During that visit, professor emeritus Paul Noland was honored for his role in the program that first established ties between the University of Arkansas and Panama: an agricultural teaching, research and extension program, first started in 1951. This was the first foreign agricultural mission started by a U.S. land grant institution, and it helped create a lasting bond between Panama and Arkansas. Noland was professor of animal science at the time in what became the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Science. From 1955 to 1957 he lived in Panama, working to develop the program.
In recognition of this work President Martinelli presented Noland with the “Vasco Nunez de Balboa” award, the highest civilian honor given by the Panamanian government. Martinelli credited the program with stimulating the growth of his nation’s agriculture and of providing the academic ties that brought Panamanian students, including his brother and himself, to the University of Arkansas.
“Paul Noland’s recognition is well-deserved and it really helped set the tone for this visit,” said Chancellor Gearhart. “This was an opportunity to renew ties between old friends. It certainly was a great pleasure to meet with President Martinelli and other university alumni, and be able to call the Hogs on foreign soil. But just as Dr. Noland did important work during his time in Panama, we also had serious business to discuss.”
Part of that business included meetings between the chancellor and the leaders of the University of Panama, which has an enrollment of 74,000 students, and the University Catolica, the nation’s leading parochial institution.
“These are both outstanding institutions,” said Gearhart, “and we discussed beginning exchange programs that will enable our students and faculty members to work more closely together on a wide range of research projects. I expect to start seeing results from those discussions very soon.”
The “trade” side of the mission was also very successful. Dan Hendrix, president and chief executive officer of the Arkansas World Trade Center, Stanley Reed, Randy Veach and other leaders of the Arkansas Farm Bureau, representatives from Arkansas' construction sector and leaders of several of the state’s small and medium-sized businesses met with both U.S. and Panamanian trade officials. They discussed ways to increase the market for Arkansas agricultural, construction and industrial products in Panama. That nation recently passed a free trade agreement lifting tariffs on American products, an agreement that is only waiting for U.S. congressional approval.
“We want Arkansas to be in position to take advantage of that treaty as soon as it is ratified,” said Hendrix. “There is a demand for Arkansas rice, soybeans and cotton now, and we have a long, established relationship with Panama, through the university, that should definitely benefit the Arkansas economy. Besides that, Panama has the fastest growing economy in Latin America, with a progressive, business-minded president. Conditions are right for creating industrial and technological connections with Arkansas companies as well.”
Everyone involved in the trip agreed that going to Panama and meeting directly with the decision makers in commerce and education made a big difference.
“There is no substitute for the personal connections we were able to establish, thanks to the chancellor and President Martinelli,” said Hendrix.
It was also clear that the personal connections were important to the Panamanian president. During a reception and luncheon at the Presidential Palace, Martinelli was delighted to receive a rubbing of his name on Senior Walk and a portrait of Old Main, a Razorback football jersey imprinted with his name, and a Razorback football helmet.
“In the world of politics, you may find this helmet comes in handy,” Chancellor Gearhart explained.
Martinelli reminisced about his days on campus and said he is looking forward to a return visit, to see for himself the growth and changes at the university and in Arkansas, and to further improve the relations between the state and his nation.
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Steve Voorhies, manager of media relations
University Relations
479-575-3583,
voorhies@uark.edu
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