Advancing through Collaboration and Innovation

By George F. Tuthill

The past weeks have been ones of excitement and new development at the College of Graduate Studies. The roll-out of the Doctor of Education (EdD) program, initiation of a major partnership for the MBA, numerous institutes and conferences, and the customary full complement of courses—all these mean that the summer term is a far cry from the academic recess of the popular imagination!

The EdD in Learning Leadership and Community is underway with its first cohort of 12 students. A reception and dinner were held in July to welcome the cohort to our learning community. Dr. Virginia Barry, New Hampshire's new Commissioner of Education and PSU faculty, addressed the cohort and the individuals who were instrumental in creating the program.

In August, Dr. Trent Boggess, business department chair, was approached by the American University of Antigua (AUA), a hospital-integrated U.S. modeled medical program in the Caribbean. AUA recognized that their medical students would benefit from the management skills and experiences of an MBA degree program. Our online MBA with a certificate in Health Care Administration was a perfect match for AUA; 60 medical students will begin their studies this fall.

This summer, the group of educational leaders who participated in the sixth annual Pakistani Educational Leadership Institute (PELI) consisted of individuals from both the urban centers and the remote provinces of Pakistan, including the director of the Federal College of Education, and the program coordinator of our in-country partner organization, Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi (Center for Education and Consciousness). PELI alumni, now more than 100 strong, constitute a network of education reform that has reached thousands of Pakistani teachers with professional development activities.

This year we will begin a series of monthly lunchtime gatherings for the graduate community to highlight the scholarship and teaching efforts of faculty and students. Check the Web site for additional information and if you are on campus, please join us.

Best wishes for a productive fall!

Dr. George F. Tuthill
Interim Associate Vice President