Meredith McQuaid, associate vice president and dean of international programs, has announced she will retire on March 15, 2023, capping a career of more than 30 years at the University of Minnesota rising from undergraduate student to dean of international programs.

She began her time at the University as an undergraduate, earning a B.A. in Linguistics in 1982 and participating in the University’s first study abroad program in China at Nankai University in 1980. After graduation, she spent two years teaching English in Japan and then spent time traveling, including a trip around the world by motorcycle. She then returned to the University and earned a J.D. in 1991. While in Law School, she served as a legal advisor in International Student and Scholar Services, a unit for which she is responsible as dean.   

She practiced immigration law in private practice in Minneapolis for several years before returning to the University as the Law School’s first Director of International and Graduate Programs in 1994 (and soon thereafter also became the Assistant Dean of Students). In that role she created one of the first LL.M. programs for foreign lawyers in the country, created the Introduction to American Law program for LL.M. student participants that was unique in the country at the time, and created the Judicial Observation Program for International Lawyers. In 2006, she received the University’s Award for Global Engagement for significant contributions to the expansion of global education and the creation of international programs at the Law School.

In 2007, she became the first person to hold the title of Associate Vice President and Dean of International Programs at the University, after serving as interim for one year. The newly created position elevated the role of the global programs leader in recognition of the importance of international teaching, research, and outreach to the University. There were many other “firsts” in her tenure including creating the first positions in the country for directors of internationalizing the curriculum, and international health, safety, and compliance; and the first position dedicated to mental health in study abroad. She helped launch the University’s first office abroad (Beijing), the Immigration Response Team, the International Programs Council, and the Passport Office. In 2014, the University celebrated China 100, a year-long celebration honoring the first students from China and the wealth of connections that have come since. 

Her energy and creativity inspired the creation of several major University-wide initiatives that linked all five UMN campuses to advance internationalization among faculty, staff, and students, including: 

• Global Spotlight biennial focus on a country and a global issue
• SPARC research and innovation hub
• UMN SDG Initiative to mobilize the resources at the University to advance a more socially and environmentally sustainable future
• Global U e-newsletter that reaches thousands of alumni and friends
• M Global platform for the University community to highlight and maximize their global engagement
• Table of Contents that connected international graduate students with community members for  dinner and conversation
• Global DEI to provide opportunities to examine the intersection of the goals of increasing intercultural understanding through global education and the goals to create a culture of belonging in our communities

She led global programs at the University through both highs and lows, from times of great growth in study abroad and international student enrollment to the extreme challenges of the pandemic. Through it all, she maintained her path as a lifelong learner, including a return to graduate school to earn a M.Ed. in Kinesiology 2015—her third degree from the University of Minnesota.

In addition to her on-campus support, her impact was felt nationally and internationally through her professional organization engagement, including president of NAFSA: Association of International Educators; board member and committee chair of the Association of International Education Administrators (AIEA); chair of the Senior International Officer group of the BIg Ten Academic Alliance; and consultant on internationalization for American Council on Education (ACE). She has also served on the UMN’s China Center Advisory Council and the Campus Club Board of Directors, and on selection committees for prestigious international fellowships, including the USIA Edmund Muskie Scholars Program. 

Under her leadership, the University was named a recipient of the 2009 Simon Award for Campus Internationalization by NAFSA: Association of International Educators, which recognizes institutions for overall excellence in internationalization efforts; and the 2016 Institutional Award for Global Learning, Research, and Engagement from the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities, which recognizes member institutions and their leaders who excel in their efforts to drive an inclusive approach to their global engagement, research, and learning.

She will leave behind a strong and dedicated team of international education experts who share a commitment to innovation, and a legacy of partnerships and global connections that will last into the future.

"Meredith has served with distinction as the University’s senior international officer since 2007," said Provost Rachel Croson. "Under her leadership, GPS Alliance staff have collaborated broadly to inspire student engagement and to advance innovative initiatives uniting us all in the work of internationalization."

A national search will begin this fall to identify our next senior international officer who will continue to advance the University of Minnesota as a global leader in international teaching, research, and engagement.