Thullen retires from International Programs

by Joe King

Listening to Manfred Thullen's life story, you can't help but wonder if his choice of career was pre-destined. Growing up the son of a mathematician (and eventual United Nations employee), Thullen was born in Ecuador to German parents and spent much of his youth living in various Latin American countries. He completed high school in Switzerland, and after two years at a German university, came to the United States, where he earned three degrees at Louisiana State University.

Manfred Thullen

With such a background, perhaps it wasn't inevitable that he would end up as the executive director of NIU's Divsion of International Programs, but it certainly allowed him to bring an appropriate set of credentials to the job.

Thullen is retiring from that post this month, a position he took in October 1993. A reception in his honor will be held from 2 to 4 p.m., Thursday, May 9, in the Clara Sperling Sky Room in the Holmes Student Center.

Thullen, 64, came to NIU after 24 years at Michigan State University, where he served in the Department of Resource Development, as well in the Dean's Office of International Studies and Programs. Looking back upon his time at NIU, Thullen says he is proud of the role he has played in helping to more firmly establish international programs at NIU.

"I think the division has a much more solid foundation than when I arrived," he says. "We have consolidated various study abroad programs into one, we have revised the international training office to better serve faculty, we have developed policies and procedures to clarify how the division works and we have an active advisory council."

Perhaps not surprisingly, given his background, Thullen considers the "internationalization" of the curriculum an important undertaking. In fact, he says, it's more of a vocation for him than a job.

"We need to provide our students with a greater understanding of other cultures," Thullen says. "The United States is considered the leader of the world, but we have a population that largely has little idea what else is happening in the world. As our society becomes more diverse, and as we compete in the global economy, the need for global understanding increases."

Northern does a good job in that regard, he says, noting that there are opportunities across the curriculum for students to incorporate international components into their degrees. There also are ample opportunities for students to study abroad, strong library collections, centers devoted to the study of other cultures and support systems in place for international faculty, staff and students.

There is more that can be done, Thullen says, but that work will be left to others.

"The last nine years have been very satisfying, and I have enjoyed NIU and living in DeKalb. But I think I've done about as much as I can here, it's time for somebody else," he says.