Jerry Wilcox, director of the International Office at The University of Texas at Austin since 1998, has retired.
Wilcox celebrated his last day of work on April 25 with fellow employees and friends on campus. Dr. Terri Givens, vice provost for undergraduate studies and international activities, will direct the International Office. Givens announced the appointment of Heather Barclay Hamir as director of the Study Abroad Office. Directors Teri Albrecht (International Student and Scholar Services) and Larry Phu (Central Administration) will take on increased duties following Wilcox’s departure.
“Jerry has been a strong advocate of international education, and he has played an extremely important role in the internationalization of this university,” said Givens.
The University of Texas at Austin continues to enroll near record numbers of international students and is third in the nation among colleges and universities in the number of U.S. students to study abroad.
“The university continues to evolve and improve its ability to promote globalization and I am confident that the staff of the provost’s office and the International Office will collaborate to expand the university’s offerings abroad and to continue to improve the quality of these programs,” Wilcox said.
Wilcox joined the university after 27 years in international education at Cornell University. His introduction to international education included working abroad in a German factory as a guest worker and serving with the Peace Corps in Thailand with the U.S. Department of Public Health.
He has held several offices in the Association of International Educators (NAFSA), including chair of the Council for Foreign Students and Scholars, chair of the Professional Development Committee (formerly called the Field Service Committee), chair of the former Government Regulations Advisory Committee, chair of the NAFSA CEO Selection Committee and president of NAFSA.
He has participated in numerous projects and committees to collaborate with the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service and the U.S. Department of State to ease the regulatory burden on international students, scholars, and U.S. colleges and universities.
Read a feature story about the university’s study abroad programs: Assignment Abroad: From China to Tanzania, students explore cultures around the world in quest for global citizenship.
