MONMOUTH, Ill. — Niklas Eklund, professor of
political science at Umea University in Sweden, will be on Monmouth
College’s campus March 15-17.
During his three-day stay, Eklund will offer
lectures and classroom experiences on topics as far-ranging as study
abroad, current EU/US relations and the unification efforts within Europe.
It will not be the first visit to Monmouth for
Eklund, who is currently working on the Regional Education Network Between
the European Union and the United States. During the 1981-82 academic
year, he was an exchange student at Monmouth High School.
His 2004 return was facilitated by MC visiting
instructor Susan Van Kirk, who was one of his teachers two decades ago at
MHS.
“When he showed up, he could already speak five or
six different languages,” recalls Van Kirk, who added that Eklund stayed
with Jim and Carol Williams the year he was in Monmouth. “I have a feeling
Monmouth is going to be much smaller than he remembers.”
Added Van Kirk, “He watches Dr. Phil and quotes
Arnold, the governor of California, in jest. So you can see what parts of
America make it to Sweden.”
Located in Umea, Sweden, and founded in 1965, Umea
University has more than 25,000 students and nearly 4,000 faculty and
staff.
