Dr. Paul W. Ferguson, President of the University of Maine to Speak at Husson University
Published on: March 25, 2014
BANGOR, MAINE – March 24, 2014 – Paul W. Ferguson, Ph.D., president of the University of Maine will share his thoughts on “The Challenges of Academic Leadership in the 21st Century” at the Gracie Theatre on March 27th at 12:00 p.m.
“Lectures about leadership are valuable to both students entering the workforce and professional educators,” said Robert A. Clark, president and CEO of Husson University. “In addition to being an efficient way convey information and promote understanding of key concepts, a good lecture can stimulate valuable discussions that generate engagement and positive change. At Husson, we’re always interested in learning more about best practices that can help us further improve our students’ learning experience. We are looking forward to President Ferguson’s presentation.”
The lecture is free and open to the public.
More About Dr. Ferguson:
Paul W. Ferguson became the 19th President of the University of Maine on July 1, 2011. A Southern California native, President Ferguson is a Whittier College graduate who earned a Ph.D. in Pharmacology and Toxicology at the University of California, Davis in 1981. Between college and graduate school he gained work experience as a research specialist at the Los Angeles County-University of Southern California Medical Center and as a research biologist for Pennwalt Corporation.
An accomplished scholar with a 30-year record of achievement, President Ferguson began his academic career as Assistant Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology in the School of Pharmacy at the University of Louisiana, Monroe. At that institution, he worked to establish the first undergraduate toxicology program in the South while leading research and outreach efforts aimed at assessing the potential risks from chemical exposures throughout Louisiana. After five years working as Senior Toxicologist for Unocal Corporation in Los Angeles, President Ferguson returned to ULM, serving as an award winning Professor and Head of the Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology. In 1993, he was appointed Dean of Graduate Studies and Research. He also served as Vice Provost from 1995–99 prior to assuming a new position at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV).
At UNLV, President Ferguson served in a variety of leadership roles, helping that institution realize its vision of becoming a premier metropolitan research university. He joined UNLV as Professor and Dean of the Graduate College, before being appointed Senior Vice Provost in 2001. He served as Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies from 2003–06, leading the continued development of the UNLV research and graduate education enterprise. During his time at UNLV, annual extramural funding increased from $59 million to $95 million, while the number of graduate programs rose from 74 to 108.
In 2006, President Ferguson was appointed Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at the Edwardsville campus of Southern Illinois University, and Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology. He worked to implement major initiatives defined by five academic affairs imperatives: academic quality and assessment, student success, faculty development, educational outreach and enrollment management. During his time there, the university received national recognition for its academic innovation, culture of assessment and commitment to continuous quality improvement.
As a campus leader highly regarded for his commitment to engagement, inclusivity and quality, President Ferguson has a demonstrated record of university transformations in the areas of increased research and economic development, university-community partnerships, student success, faculty development and academic quality. Currently, President Ferguson is leading an inclusive, campus-wide planning and implementation process, the Blue Sky Project, to elevate the University of Maine, the flagship, land grant campus of the University of Maine System, to new levels of excellence as the most distinctively student-centered and community-engaged of the American research universities.
For more than 100 years, Husson University has prepared future leaders to handle the challenges of tomorrow through innovative undergraduate and graduate degrees. With a commitment to delivering affordable classroom, online and experiential learning opportunities, Husson University has come to represent superior value in higher education. Our Bangor campus and off-campus satellite education centers in Southern Maine, Wells and Northern Maine provide advanced knowledge in business; health and education; pharmacy studies; science and humanities; as well as communication. In addition, Husson University has a robust adult learning program. For more information about educational opportunities that can lead to personal and professional success, visit Husson.edu.