The Woodyard Plaza, a landscaping project created as a sister's gift to honor her brother's career at Kansas University, was dedicated June 11.
The plaza, located in a grove between Wescoe and Budig halls near Jayhawk Boulevard, honors George Woodyard, professor emeritus of Spanish and Portuguese and KU's first dean of international studies and programs. His late sister, Dorothy Woodyard, gave more than $50,000 to the Kansas University Endowment Association for its construction.
The 20-by-30-foot brick and concrete plaza features three wrought-iron benches, landscaping and a raised bronze plaque. It is situated along a sidewalk leading from Wescoe Beach to the east entrance of Budig Hall and overlooks the Wakarusa Valley.
Woodyard retired in the spring after 39 years at KU. As dean, he established many exchange agreements between KU and universities abroad and, through the Office of Study Abroad, more than doubled the number of KU students studying abroad.
Outside funding for international training programs, faculty development and academic programs at KU also more than quadrupled under his leadership. He personally led many summer language institute programs launched under his tenure.
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