Our Story
Dr. Charles McDowell (second from left, bottom row) and his students pose at the airport during a study abroad trip to Eastern Europe in 1977.
In a time when the media and Hollywood depicted the Soviet Union as “the Evil Empire,” Charles McDowell challenged his students to look beyond politics and government to see a nation of people. After a distinguished career in the U.S. Army and retirement at the rank of Colonel, McDowell devoted the next forty years of his life to UTA, beginning in 1959 and ending with his retirement in 2005. He offered his knowledge and respect for the culture of a Cold War enemy to anyone who would listen. He guided regular study abroad trips behind the Iron Curtain and hosted students and scholars from Russia and East/Central Europe. His life-long commitment to bridging cultural divides inspired his friends Betty and Roger Ruch to create an endowment to establish the McDowell Center. His maverick spirit and the Ruch’s generosity are the foundation of the work that we do today.
What We Do
Today, the McDowell Center creates meaningful opportunities for student and faculty advancement in global contexts. Our programs include a minor and certificate in Global Studies, publication of the undergraduate research journal Global Insight, a summer institute dedicated to the study of critical cultures, and generous funding opportunities to sponsor research and cultural exchange for UTA’s faculty and students. Read more about our programs here.