DANBURY, CONN. — In an effort to share resources half a world away, four professors from Western Connecticut State University will travel to India next month as part of a university exchange program.

From Aug. 2 through 23, Dr. Anam Govardhan, professor of writing, linguistics and creative process, will be at Loyola University in Chennai to share his expertise with faculty and graduate students. Loyola is in session June through March.

A specialist in linguistics, rhetoric and composition, Govardhan will lecture and hold workshops on understanding English grammar, advanced academic writing and bibliography and research methodology. Loyola does not have specific courses in teaching English grammar and writing, so Govardhan’s goal is to bridge the gap by teaching how to conduct research and find secondary sources.

As part of the collaboration, WestConn will host a scholar-in residence from Loyola in September.

“It is a great honor for us,” Govardhan said. “It is a win-win situation for WestConn because they are very good in their discipline at Loyola, but we have good lab facilities here. The scholar coming here will be using our library and sharing his knowledge with our students. The next step would be to send some of our students there for a semester.”

Of the half-million foreign students studying each year in the United States, 90,000 of them are from India — the largest number from one country. Most of those students come to the U.S. to study engineering, business and life sciences.

Govardhan said part of the trip also includes speaking with prospective students, exploring recruitment opportunities and letting students know about WestConn’s diverse campus. Govardhan said he is excited that WestConn faculty can travel to India and talk about what the university can offer to foreign students.

Dr. Ruth Gyure, assistant professor of biology; and Dr. Thomas Lonergan, biology department chairman, also will be in India, but will divide their time between Loyola and Reva Group of Educational Institutions. Associate Professor of Marketing Dr. Karen Koza also will make the trip in order to solidify the university’s partnership with Loyala University.

Lonergan said his involvement will include identifying potential collaboration in bio-technology and bio-remediation. It also will include looking at sources of funding to support research or exchange programs to make such endeavors less cost-prohibitive.

“That’s why collaboration with a foreign university is so important,” Lonergan said.

For more information, call the Office of University Relations at (203) 837-8486.

Western Connecticut State University offers outstanding faculty in a range of quality academic programs. Our diverse university community provides students an enriching and supportive environment that takes advantage of the unique cultural offerings of Western Connecticut and New York. Our vision: To be an affordable public university with the characteristics of New England’s best small private universities.