University of Indianapolis educator Phylis Lan Lin takes in stride her role as organizer of an upcoming international symposium in Greece.

A native of Taiwan and a UIndy faculty member since 1973, Lin has long juggled many roles and challenges, including wife, mother, sociology professor, administrator, author and breast-cancer survivor.

Among several books and articles the 66-year-old Lin has written on topics such as work, stress, marriage and family is an article titled “Dance With Cancer.”

Diagnosed with breast cancer in 1997, Lin was assertive in making sure she received proper treatment.

She said she wrote the article in particular to encourage Asian women who may be culturally reticent to talk openly about their personal issues to be proactive and positive when faced with cancer.

“Cancer saved my life,” Lin said recently. “After that experience, I pay much more attention to my health and am much more devoted in helping others.”

Lin is a key figure in UIndy’s development over the years of international ties with other institutions of higher learning, particularly in Asia.

Among the partnerships is one with the Ningbo Institute of Technology in China, under which as many as 100 or more of those students at a time are busy studying at UIndy.

Lin was promoted in June to associate vice president for international partnerships from her role as presidential international ambassador.

“Phylis’ promotion is a recognition of her many years of developing partnerships in the Far East and her contribution to the continued growth of our Ningbo program,” said UIndy president Beverley Pitts.

“We marvel at Phylis’ energy and enthusiasm, and appreciate her service and devotion to the university.”

Lin is organizing the third International Symposium on Service-Learning, scheduled for Nov. 22-24 at UIndy’s campus in Athens, Greece.

She said Antoinette Smith-Tolken at Stellenbosch University in South Africa, one of UIndy’s sister institutions, has been a key partner in organizing and chairing all three biennial symposiums.

The first was held in November 2005 in South Africa and the second in May 2007 at UIndy.

Lin said the upcoming symposium of more than 165 representatives from 65 universities and other institutions of higher education in 10 countries and the United Kingdom will focus on service-learning approaches, curriculum building, research and assessment.

“We want to know what are the learning outcomes,” she said.

Serving-learning programs offer class credit for involvement in projects to benefit the community.

Lin said UIndy service-learning projects have included rebuilding homes in New Orleans after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, clothing and art projects in Belize, and kitchen work for a charity in the Indianapolis area that provides meals to the homebound.