KAMLOOPS – How many of us would apply for a year-long job halfway across the world?

Geoff Wilmshurst, TRU’s Study Abroad program manager, did just that this summer.

In June, he interviewed for a position as TRU’s Director of India Programs, overseeing TRU educational delivery in India on a full-time, face-to-face basis in the city of Chandigarh, India. He got the job. He is leaving from the Kamloops Airport Aug. 11.

“At first, the kids gave no response. Then they went into denial, like this couldn’t be happening, and now they’re in acceptance mode,” explained Wilmshurst, who said daughter Carmen, 9, was happy to hear they have horses and a skating rink in Chandigarh while son Jake, 12, is anxious to learn the game of cricket. As for Wilmshurst, “I’m taking my golf clubs.”

Moving his family is not such a stretch, said Wilmshurst. “My son has always been very curious about the world,” explained Wilmshurst, “and my wife has worked and travelled in many countries. We have a history of moving to some other parts of the world.”

Still, it’s still far from your average tourist vacation.

“I’m guessing that when I step off the plane, very soon after that I’ll be reviewing applications and recruiting,” said Wilmshurst, who will be heading up TRU programs at the Canadian Institute for International Studies (CIIS) in Chandigarh, where he will oversee marketing, recruiting and pre-admission processes, and monitor instructors, ensuring that the school adheres to TRU standards.

“My job in India will have elements of the role of dean and registrar, plus marketer,” said Wilmshurst. “It’s funny, but part of my job will be to check transcripts, and as soon as I saw an Indian grades transcript, I was taken back to when I was bringing refugee students into Canada when I worked for the World University Service of Canada ten years ago.”

TRU programs to be offered at the school include the fourth year of a Bachelor of Technology degree program, Technology Management, TRU’s 18-month post-Baccalaureate Diploma in Marketing and the first year of its Bachelor of Technology in Applied Computing Science degree program.

“The big picture of this is I’m going to be the CIIS/TRU liaison, working with CIIS to resolve problems and present TRU’s viewpoint to them.”

TRU’s viewpoint? “To offer a quality program,” explained Wilmshurst.

“This is the first time that TRU has sent somebody to represent the university overseas full-time. It’s a resident posting, which is new territory for us. We hope to be able to run more India programs and have more TRU faculty going there, and students from there coming here to complete a degree.”

Of course Wilmshurst has an eye to potential exchanges. Since his arrival at TRU in 2004, he has built the university’s Study Abroad program from about ten students per year going to six destinations, to more than 250. “There are now unlimited opportunities. Virtually every student applying for Study Abroad can go,” said Wilmshurst, who will be replaced at the Study Abroad Centre by popular and well-known local travel guru, Jan Petrar.

Geoff Wilmshurst will be available for interviews from 9 am Tuesday, Aug. 8 through Aug. 10. He may be reached at 250.371.0233.

Photo available on request to Bronwen Scott.