All UW connections with Slovenia do not require knowledge of the language. Since 1963, the UW and the University of Ljubljana have participated in an exchange – in English – with most visits lasting two to four weeks. During the visits, the faculty continues the research project in cooperation with colleagues from the host institution, conducts lectures and moderates seminars. The rectors of the two universities formalized the exchange in 1978, with two or three professors from each institution participating annually. To date, nearly 40 UW departments have been represented.

Biggins is currently chairing the UW-University of Ljubljana Scholarship Exchange Committee. No one is more committed to the exchange program, as evidenced by his current matching gift. Years before making the gift, Biggins convinced a close friend, Roma Boniecka, to establish an endowment to support the program.

Biggins met Boniecka while in graduate school. She taught Polish and Biggins – always eager to learn a new language – studied with her. This led to a friendship that lasted several decades. In her later years, Boniecka told Biggins that she wanted to give him some money, but he repeatedly refused the offer. And then he got an idea. “I told her that the greatest gift she could give me would be continued support of the UW-University of Ljubljana exchange program and Slovenian studies at UW, and that it would even be a tax deduction,” Biggins recalls. “And she said, ‘Sure, where do I sign?'”

The Roma Boniecka – Anna Cienciala Foundation was established in 2016. When Boniecka died in 2019 and left a legacy in her will to Biggins and his wife, they decided to make some of these funds available to the foundation as well. Biggins credits his wife for suggesting the same gift encourage others to contribute to the endowment.

The timing of the gift is particularly appropriate, as the UW-University of Ljubljana exchange will celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2023. The coming year also marks the start of a new student exchange with the University of Ljubljana with up to 24 undergraduate and postgraduate students. participating UW and UL students.

Biggins, who also serves as Honorary Consul of Slovenia for the state of Washington, will not soon be among those traveling to Central Europe. He has already been to Slovenia 13 times, but now his priority is to help others discover the country that has fascinated him for decades.

“There will be an opportunity to come back to Slovenia someday when it will be really useful,” he says, “but right now the most productive thing I can do is to continue building the exchange and Slovenian language program at UW. I’m happy to do it.”