Tecwyn Vaughan Jones bikes with students in Bangor, Wales, where he has led Central’s study abroad program for 14 years.
After serving Central College for 14 years as resident director in Wales, Tecwyn Vaughan Jones retired at the end of the summer 2014 program. As resident director of Central’s study abroad program in Bangor, Vaughan Jones guided the program through a variety of changes.
Perhaps most importantly, Vaughan Jones oversaw the program’s relocation from Trinity College in Carmarthen to Bangor in 2006. Aligning the program with Bangor University allowed for more academic opportunities better suited to student interests. Under Vaughan Jones’s leadership, Central and Bangor University have formed a strong partnership, and each year a group of Bangor students studies on Central’s campus.
Vaughan Jones also made sure the program’s popular Outdoor Pursuits course was available in Bangor. It is now offered in Snowdonia National Park, a breathtaking landscape where students participate in activities such as surfing, gorge scrambling and raft building. The Wales program saw record enrollment in 2014, due in part to the popularity of Outdoor Pursuits.
“The challenges in this class cannot be replaced by any reality TV,” Vaughan Jones said. He attributes its success to the opportunities it provides for active learning and meaningful experiences.
During his 14 years with Central, Vaughan Jones witnessed big changes in the way students experience study abroad, especially because of advancing technology. He said, “In 2000, the students contacted friends and family by email and letter only, but 14 years later, there is an abundance of communication networks including cellphones.”
With this increased communication, Vaughan Jones stressed it is more important than ever for students to take steps to become involved with the local community, such as joining campus organizations at Bangor University.
After retiring, Vaughan Jones will continue to teach at Bangor University. Meggan Lloyd Prys will head the Wales program as Central’s new resident director. Read more about Vaughan Jones and the Wales program in the fall issue of Civitas.
