| As of fall 2008, the decision has been made to discontinue the Bachelor of Arts
in Leadership and Professional Studies. This decision was not driven by concern for the quality of the degree, but rather by the need to shift resources to areas that have a greater potential for growth on the Spokane campus, particularly in the health and biomedical sciences. Current students will be allowed to complete the degree if they remain continuously registered for the next four semesters through Spring 2010, but no new students are being admitted. |
Fredrick
E. Peterson
- Professor
- PhD, University of Utah
- Curriculum Vita (PDF)
- Telephone: 509.358.7529
- E-mail: petersof@wsu.edu
- Office: SCLS-139
Teaching
Dr. Peterson’s courses consistently garner comments from students that he is an outstanding teacher. They commend his teaching style and enthusiasm for teaching. Typical of student comments for his courses is the following: “Fred was very enthusiastic about the material which made him a joy to listen to. He was a great teacher and I thoroughly enjoyed his teaching style. The material was very interesting; the books were great, which I intend on keeping for future reference. Fred’s teaching style was exactly my style of learning. I found myself wanting to read the material he suggested and made time to really read his books.”
Each year, Honors College students nominate faculty to give the Honors College Invited Lecture. Nominees must not only be exemplary teachers, but also be capable of delivering a public address that has the potential to attract a broad-based audience from the university as well as the larger community. It is significant that only students have input into the selection of the finalists for this award. Professor Peterson was the unanimous choice for the 2003–2004 academic year and delivered an inspirational talk comparing Eastern and Western meanings of leadership.
Leadership
Dr. Peterson was recruited to WSU in 1990 to serve as the first chief academic officer of the Spokane campus. In this role, he was instrumental in promoting the growth of the campus during its first decade. The challenges with which he grappled during this time necessitated building effective relationships within the community, including EWU, Gonzaga, Whitworth, and the Community Colleges of Spokane. He also worked with other WSU campuses and with the Higher Education Coordinating Board.
Since returning to full time teaching in 2001, he has continued to promote collaborative work aimed as fostering interdisciplinary education. When the Program in Professional Development was being developed, then-WSU Spokane Chancellor Rom Markham approached Dr. Peterson and requested that he teach a leadership course in the new curriculum. Subsequently, Dr. Peterson was appointed to the Professional Development faculty on a permanent basis; he teaches two leadership courses for this program (now renamed Leadership and Professional Studies).
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Dr. Peterson was co-director of national seminars on leadership conducted in the Washington, D. C., area by the Association of American Colleges and Universities. These institutes featured prominent scholars of leadership and leaders with international reputations. Funded by the Henry R. Luce Foundation, the institutes significantly helped to more firmly establish leadership as a scholarly discipline. Professor Peterson was invited to the first institute as a participant.
International Work
In 1997, Dr. James Henson, then WSU’s Director of International Programs, approached Dr. Peterson and asked him to create a sister-university relationship in China. He knew that Professor Peterson would be in Hong Kong doing research and curriculum development and asked him to visit universities in China. Dr. Henson noted that China’s growing significance in world affairs underlined the fact that WSU’s interactions with Chinese universities were inadequate. Dr. Henson asked Professor Peterson to identify potential higher education partners in China. Dr. Peterson was able to foster relationships with five of the most prestigious universities in China. In the wake of these efforts, it is noteworthy that the Chancellor of Peking University—during a visit to the United States—specifically elected to visit the WSU Spokane campus.
Professor Peterson represented WSU in obtaining and implementing two U.S. Department of Education Title VI-B grants presented jointly to Whitworth College and WSU. The first grant (1997–2000) produced curriculum development focused on Korea, Taiwan, and China. The second grant (1999–2002) produced curriculum development focused on the European Union, cooperative academic agreements, and joint courses with European universities. As WSU’s representative, Professor Peterson developed curricula and fostered educational collaboration not only at the two Spokane institutions, but also at universities in Asia and Europe.