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This paper summarizes the results, activities, and lessons learned from this first ever convention of a foreign university in the USA and for others to follow.

INTRODUCTION

Sardar Patel University is located in Vallabh Vidyanagar, Gujarat India. It is named after the first deputy prime minister and the architect of modern India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, a trusted lieutenant of Mahatma Gandhi. Established in 1955 in rural farm lands, today it is a center of the most prosperous region known as Charotar. The university has an enrollment of more than thirty thousand students and has fifty affiliated colleges located in three campuses (Vallabh Vidyanagar, Anand and Karamsad). It is a comprehensive university offering baccalaureate, masters, diploma, and doctoral degree programs.1,2

Since its founding, the university has continued to increase its programs and curricula to meet the future challenges as evidenced by its expansion into new and emerging areas in arts, sciences, education, information technology, engineering, business, management, and performing arts to name a few.2 Its alumni base is spread throughout the world including a large number being settled in USA.

A group of those alumni living in the metropolitan NY/NJ area had a vision of organizing the first ever convention of SPU graduates in the USA. The following sections provide a brief overview of that vision, logistics for arrangements, and successful inaugural gathering during the 2003 Labor Day weekend in North Brunswick, NJ.1

CONVENTION VISION

A significant portion of our life revolves around "work," however according to the "Work in America" survey about 40% of us plan our careers.14 The remaining numbers rely on chance, take the only jobs available, or follow tips from friends and relatives. The SPU alumni are no different from this phenomenon. If we look at the anecdotal information available, the SPU prepared its graduates well for the professional life even though they may not have received specific education in a particular arena of their success.1

Weisbrod and Hamilton identified "Globalization" of US economy as "second industrial revolution" in an article in the 1990s.15 Their report could very much be expanded to cover the professional spectrum by generalizing in the following manner. We need to understand impact of global trade on the skills and retraining needs of technical workforce. The effects of public policies and business priorities on the professionals and education institutions' response to global changes and demands are essential considerations for continuing immigration of workforce from abroad. The SPU alumni very much understood

Proceedings of the 2004 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright © 2004, American Society for Engineering Education

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Rathod, M. (2004, June), Organizing The First Ever Convention Of Alumni Of Sardar Patel University Of India In The United States Paper presented at 2004 Annual Conference, Salt Lake City, Utah. 10.18260/1-2--13043