When Ved Nanda travels the world, he's never far from DU.

Since he began teaching international law at DU in 1965, Ved Nanda has inspired generations of students--an extended family that now spans the globe. The ties Professor Nanda forms with his students are so strong, in fact, that he rarely sees the inside of a hotel room when he travels (and he travels a lot) because his family of former students wouldn't hear of it.

"Aside from the usual wisdom and scholarship, something I learned from one of my teachers [the late international law scholar Myres. S. McDougal] was to truly care about my students," said Nanda, DU's Vice Provost for Internationalization, Thompson G. Marsh Professor of Law, John Evans University Professor, and Director of DU's International Legal Studies Program.

Much of Nanda's work at DU is made possible in part by generous gifts, such as a charitable bequest from former Colorado Supreme Court Justice Leonard Sutton, JD '41. According to Nanda, gifts like Justice Sutton's allow good work to be done at DU, which puts the University on the proverbial map at home and abroad.

Caring and compassion underlie nearly everything Nanda does, be it personal or professional--although it's often difficult to distinguish between the two, so much of himself does Nanda invest in his profession. When asked what fuels his continued passion for the field of international law, he replies without hesitation: "The desire to see that tomorrow is a better day."

International human rights and sustainable development are just two areas in which Nanda works tirelessly to ensure a better tomorrow. Renowned worldwide as one of the leading scholars in international law, Nanda is prolific in his writing, speaking, teaching and mentoring. At DU he has been one of the driving forces behind the University's push for internationalization. "The national average for students having some sort of international experience during college is only 1.5 percent," he said. "At DU, more than 50 percent of our undergraduates have an international experience while they're here."

"This University is about the students and the faculty," he said. "Students will come if there are outstanding faculty here. With each year, I see an increase in DU's visibility and prestige. The change is palpable and I'm glad to be part of it."

Just as DU continues to evolve, so does the field of international law. "Human rights used to be an abstract idea, now it's part of our culture," said Nanda. "Similarly, many countries throughout the world now have the utmost desire to ensure that there is sustainable development."

Another shift that gives Nanda hope is the increasingly pervasive realization that the same fundamental concept unites all of humanity. "Human dignity," he said. "Human dignity must be the answer for all of us."

You can invest in outstanding faculty like Professor Nanda. Contact us at 1-800-448-3238 or 303-871-2739 or e-mail us at gift-planning@du.edu.