Notre Dame’s Fremantle Campus welcomes American Ambassador

Document Type

Media Release

Publication Date

Fall 25-5-2010

Publisher Name

The University of Notre Dame Australia, Fremantle Campus

Publication Place

Fremantle

Abstract

American Study Abroad (SA) students along with Notre Dame students participating in an exchange program to the USA, recently welcomed the United States (US) Ambassador Jeffrey Bleich to the Campus.

Mr Bleich’s visit to Perth this month included meeting with representatives of the five Western Australian universities. During his visit to Notre Dame he took the opportunity to greet the SA students and spend some time discussing what it means for them to be studying in Australia, emphasising that they were representing their country.

Students from different Catholic universities in the United States including the University of Notre Dame, Portland University and St John’s University come to Notre Dame every semester to study and experience Australian life and culture. Along with classes in Aboriginal Studies and Australian History they spend time on Notre Dame’s Broome Campus and visit a number of remote Aboriginal communities.

Arts and Sciences senior lecturer, Dr Shane Burke coordinated Mr Bleich’s visit. He said that it was an important opportunity for both the American and Australian students to meet the Ambassador.

"It was a wonderful chance for the students to hear first-hand about the value of such an exchange and to discuss the experience of living and studying in another country."

Mr Bleich is the 24th American ambassador to the Commonwealth of Australia. The American Ambassador to Australia is the personal representative of the President of the United States. As the Chief of Mission, he conducts the official business of the Government of the United States of America in Australia. The Chief of Mission also endeavours to make United States policies better known and understood in Australia. This includes the negotiation of treaties and agreements, the exchange of information on problems of mutual interest to the two countries, and to enable officials and citizens of the United States to understand the attitudes and interests of Australians. The Australian Embassy in Washington, D.C., performs similar tasks on behalf of the Government of the Commonwealth.

Media contact:

Rebecca Cassidy
08 9433 0610, 0408 959 138

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