Princess of Thailand comes to Madison to visit Edgewood College
Sees friends, receives doctorate and supports educational partnership

MADISON, Wis. (May 24, 2005) -- Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand visited Edgewood College today. She came to see her friend, long-time Edgewood College Trustee William H. Young, and to show her support for the growing educational partnership between Edgewood and Thailand. She also received an honorary doctorate.

This page includes information on media coverage, highlights of the princess’s visit, and a brief history of the relationship between Edgewood College and Thailand.

Local and international media coverage

• Wisconsin State Journal: “Edgewood College welcomed Thai royalty to campus Tuesday, hosting a visit by Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn that was intended to highlight ties between the college and Thailand.” See complete story at www.madison.com/archives/read.php?ref=wsj:2005:05:25:416781.
• The Capital Times: “The princess, 50, was in Madison to receive an honorary doctorate of humane letters from Edgewood College, where she spoke on her work on behalf of Thailand's poor.” See complete story at www.madison.com/archives/read.php?ref=tct:2005:05:25:416881.
• Bangkok Post: “On May 24, HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn received an honorary doctorate in humane letters from Edgewood College. Edgewood College is Madison, Wisconsin’s only independent liberal arts college, with 2,400 undergraduate and graduate students. It was established in 1927.”

Highlights of Princess Sirindhorn’s visit to Madison

Breakfasting with Chai-Anan Samudavanija, Hon PhD’02, Edgewood College President Dan Carey and Trustee Bill Young.		Accepting a gift from Pornpramote Sinhaseni, a Thai student at Edgewood Campus School
Receiving an honorary doctorate from President Carey and Trustee Phillip Certain. (Photo: Bangkok Post)		Dedicating the college’s Thai Room with President Emeritus Jim Ebben, Marilyn Ebben and Bill Young.
Touring the campus with the co-directors of the William H. Young Center for Global Education, Larry Laffrey and Andrea Byrum.

History of relationship between Edgewood College and Thailand

• William H. Young, 93, an Edgewood College trustee since 1981, has for many years consulted on economic development in Asia. In 1983 he retired from the UW department of political science. In 1989 he and fellow Edgewood College trustee Sarah Naughton, OP, visited Thailand to contact educational institutions, notably Vajiravudh College in Bangkok.
• In January 1995 Young and Ann McCullough, OP, of the advancement office expanded these contacts in another visit to Thailand.
• In May 2002 the director of Vajiravudh College, Chai-Anan Samudavanija, received an honorary doctorate at Edgewood College’s commencement.
• For the past several years, Edgewood College, High School and Campus School have exchanged faculty and students with Vajiravudh College.
• In September 2003 Sirikorn Maneering, Thailand’s deputy minister of education, led a delegation of 13 ministry officials to Edgewood to learn ways to develop Thailand’s educational system.
• On May 24, 2005, Princess Sirindhorn visits Edgewood College to see Young, receive an honorary doctorate, and show her support for the growing partnership between Edgewood and Thailand.

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About Edgewood College

Edgewood College is Madison’s only independent liberal arts college, a Catholic school with 2,400 undergraduate and graduate students. It offers more than 40 academic and professional programs, including master’s degrees in business, education, nursing, and other fields, and a doctoral program in education leadership. For more information about Edgewood College, visit www.edgewood.edu or call 800-444-4861.

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