University Libraries Opens International Education and Exchange Collections

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Marie Lavallard

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The University of Arkansas Libraries’ special collections department has released two important new manuscript collections recording local efforts to support international education and exchange students. The Foundation for International Exchange of Students Records collection (MC 1881) and the Marie Louise Lavallard Materials (MC 1644) document university and community involvement in promoting international education and cultural exchange.

The Foundation for International Exchange of Students was established in Fayetteville in 1949 and brought to life in part by the efforts of John and Marie Lavallard. This grassroots organization promoted international education and cultural exchange, awarded scholarships, and provided friendship and support to international students.

The Foundation for International Exchange of Students Records collection comprises materials containing legal and historical documents, board meeting materials, mailing and donor lists, records of the foundation’s scholarships, newsletters, brochures, and other records.

The Lavallard collection contains correspondence, personal papers, records concerning the Marie and John Lavallard international scholarship, memorabilia from the couple’s many domestic and international travels, photographs and slides, scrapbooks, and other materials.

Marie Lavallard had a 36-year career at the University of Arkansas College of Agriculture, now the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences, where she chaired the department of agricultural communications and served as a tireless mentor to international students. She also founded Arkansas Farm Research, a journal published from 1952 to 1994. All 43 volumes are available in special collections.

Lavallard kept strong ties with all of her mentees. She traveled extensively to foster a spirit of international cultural exchange and maintained the Foundation for International Exchange of Students newsletter for more than 50 years. She received the Millennium International Volunteer Award from the U.S. Department of State in 2000 and designated her $5,000 award to be given to the Foundation for International Exchange of Students, of which she served as president. The Lavallard international scholarship was endowed in 2005 and has since been awarded annually to outstanding University of Arkansas international students with financial need.

The University Libraries’ special collections department and the university’s office of international students and scholars cohosted a reception on Wednesday, April 18, in Holcombe Hall on the University of Arkansas campus to celebrate the release of the two collections and to honor past and current Foundation for International Exchange of Students and Lavallard Scholarship recipients. More than 75 students, foundation board members, university employees, and friends and colleagues of Marie Lavallard attended the event. With Chancellor G. David Gearhart in attendance, Dean Todd Shields of the Graduate School and International Education recognized the contributions of the foundation and Lavallard scholars. Xi Ai, the current Lavallard scholar from China, spoke about how the scholarship has changed her life and given her opportunities beyond her dreams.

The special collections department continually seeks materials that document the state’s physical, social and cultural history. Readers should contact Tim Nutt, interim department head, if they have materials they wish to donate.