Willamette University Honors the Class of 2008

Willamette University will bid adieu to the Class of 2008 in four commencement ceremonies Sunday, May 11.

The College of Liberal Arts commencement begins at 3 p.m. on The Quad. The Atkinson Graduate School of Management ceremony is at 9:30 a.m. in Hudson Hall, and the College of Law commencement is at 11:30 a.m. on The Quad. The School of Education ceremony is at 11 a.m. in Smith Auditorium.

The College of Liberal Arts will honor 500 students with bachelor’s degrees. The College of Law will award 114 JD and LLM degrees, and the School of Education will award 101 MAT degrees. Atkinson will recognize 47 early career MBA graduates (18 professional MBA graduates were honored in January).

Helen Vendler, the A. Kingsley Porter University Professor at Harvard and a well-recognized poetry critic, will receive an honorary doctor of humane letters and deliver the CLA commencement address. The Honorable Wallace P. Carson Jr., former Chief Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court and a 1962 College of Law graduate, will receive an honorary doctor of laws.

Oregon Supreme Court Chief Justice Paul DeMuniz, a 1975 College of Law graduate, will deliver the law commencement address, and Jack McGowan, recently retired executive director of SOLV, will speak at the Atkinson ceremony.

For more information on Willamette’s commencement activities, go to www.willamette.edu/events/commencement/.

Update: Jonathan Kozol, a longtime educator and social justice advocate who was scheduled to receive an honorary degree and speak at the School of Education commencement, has canceled his appearance due to medical reasons. The School of Education speaker will be Dean Nakanishi '98, MAT'00, who teaches in a special education academy near Seattle and has researched and lectured on the history of Salem Japanese-American students sent to internment camps during World War II.

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Willamette University MBA Named a ‘Best Business School’ by the Princeton Review

The Willamette University MBA is among the Princeton Review’s “Best 290 Business Schools” for the fourth year in a row. All 290 schools are profiled on the Princeton Review’s website and listed in the publication in alphabetical order.

The Princeton Review compiled the survey based on school–reported data and information from 19,000 business students around the world. The survey asked students and alumni about their school’s academics, student body and student life. Respondents were also asked to rate their personal experience and career plans.

“Inclusion in the Princeton Review’s publication demonstrates the Willamette MBA’s reputation on an international scale,” said Interim Dean Debra Ringold. “It shows that our alumni and students are pleased with their Willamette degrees and are successful in their careers.”

For more information on Willamette University’s MBA program options visit www.willamette.edu/mba.

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Atkinson on Global 100 List

Atkinson Graduate School of Management was named to the prestigious Beyond Grey Pinstripes survey, which spotlights the top 100 MBA programs that integrate social and environmental stewardship into teaching and research. More than 40,000 pages of data are collected and analyzed to determine the biennial rankings, which are then used by tens of thousands of students, corporate leaders and scholars to network, select schools, recruit graduates and find best practices in teaching and research. These schools are preparing students for the reality of tomorrow’s markets in a competitive and fast changing world, according to the Aspen Institute, which sponsors the survey. Willamette was listed in 58th place and was recognized for business curriculum that offers unique breadth and depth of exposure to social, environmental and ethical issues. “We are preparing our students to be good stewards and effective managers for the organizations they serve, whether they are business, government or nonprofit,” says Interim Dean Debra Ringold.

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JELD-WEN Foundation Pledges $2.5 million to the Atkinson Graduate School of Management

The JELD-WEN Foundation of Klamath Falls has pledged $2.5 million to Willamette University to create an endowed chair in Free Enterprise at the Atkinson Graduate School of Management. The donation is the largest in the Atkinson Graduate School’s history.

“This is a significant benchmark for the Atkinson Graduate School of Management,” said Willamette University President M. Lee Pelton. “This gift from the JELD-WEN Foundation is gratifying in that it tells us that the Atkinson program and its faculty are among the best in the nation. This gift recognizes the strengths and the potential of this graduate school.”

“The JELD-WEN Foundation is pleased to partner with Willamette University and the Atkinson Graduate School of Management to create a new endowed chair for the University,” said Rod Wendt, President and CEO of JELD-WEN, inc. “JELD-WEN feels the project’s focus on free enterprise is especially vital today. A large number of American students do not make the connection between a free market based system and the unprecedented and sustained vitality of the U.S. economy. The JELD-WEN Chair in Free Enterprise at the Atkinson Graduate School will provide an opportunity to expand the curriculum to highlight this topic.”

Willamette University’s Atkinson Graduate School, with locations in Salem and Portland, is one of only two MBA programs in the nation dually accredited for Business Administration and Public Administration. The JELD-WEN Foundation focuses on giving in the communities in which the company operates. In the past five years, the Foundation has given more than $33 million.

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Willamette University Bids Adieu to the Class of 2006

Professor S. Allen Counter, director of The Harvard Foundation of Harvard University and a neurophysiologist at the Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, will deliver the College of Liberal Arts commencement address at Willamette University Sunday, May 14.

An honorary Doctor of Science degree will be awarded to Counter and an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree will be awarded to philanthropist Catherine B. Reynolds, Los Angeles schoolteacher Rafe Esquith, and Columbia Sportswear Company chairwoman Gert Boyle.

Willamette University College of Law alumnus, the Honorable Wallace P. Carson Jr., will deliver the law commencement address.

Honorary degree recipient Catherine B. Reynolds will give the commencement address for the Atkinson Graduate School of Management.

The College of Liberal Arts will award 334 degrees, the College of Law 146, Atkinson Graduate School of Management 60 and the School of Education 94 degrees.

The College of Liberal Arts and the School of Education will hold commencement at 3 p.m. on the Quad; Atkinson commencement is 9 a.m. in Hudson Hall, and the College of Law commencement is at 11:30 a.m. on the Quad.

CLA Commencement
For more than 20 years, commencement speaker Counter has engaged students at Harvard University and Harvard Medical School. As a neurophysiologist, he conducts both clinical and basic research studies on nerve and muscle physiology, auditory physiology, and neurophysiological diagnosis of brain-injured children and adults. His latest research focuses on toxic lead and mercury exposure in Ecuadorian children.

He is the first and only director of the Harvard Foundation for intercultural and race relations. The Foundation programs and mission have been replicated at universities across the country. His work through the Foundation earned him the distinguished NAACP Image Award in 1989. In 1994, the National Medical Association awarded Counter the Hall of Fame Award honoring his achievements in medicine.

He has published extensively in both cultural and scientific journals, including National Geographic and Scientific American. He has appeared on local and national television promoting scientific literacy of young people. He continues to work in the areas of ethics in science and technology, nature conservation, and human rights at the international level. He is presently co-host of EcoForum, a nationally televised program on earth conservation.

Law Commencement
Carson joined the Oregon Supreme Court in 1982 and was Chief Justice from 1991-05. Prior to joining the Supreme Court, he served as a judge for Marion County Circuit Court from 1977-82. He graduated from Stanford University in 1956 and Willamette University College of Law in 1962.

Atkinson Commencement
Reynolds created a new and affordable way for Americans to finance a college education. She developed a privately funded alternative to government student loan programs that has enabled hundreds of thousands of Americans to attend college. In only 10 years, this approach to private educational financing revolutionized student lending and spawned a multibillion-dollar industry of 65 lenders offering more than 200 financial products.

She is the creator and chairman of the Catherine B. Reynolds Foundation, one of the largest foundations in the nation. In 2004, Reynolds was selected by Business Week as one of the 50 most philanthropic living Americans and the first self-made woman ever to make their list. She is a graduate of Vanderbilt University.

Honorary Degree Recipients
Rafe Esquith introduces Shakespeare’s masterpieces to inner city fifth graders at Hobart Boulevard Elementary School in central Los Angeles. He molds his students into latter-day Renaissance scholars and shows them a world outside their neglected neighborhoods. His students spend an entire year studying and rehearsing one play and then perform it at Shakespeare festivals across the county. By any measure, these student actors, many of whom speak English as their second language, have been wildly successful including opening for the Royal Shakespeare Company.

As a result of his commitment to his students both inside and outside the classroom, Esquith’s students consistently score in the top 5 to 10 percent nationally in standardized tests and many of his students have moved onto college and law school.

Esquith has received several accolades for this dedication including the Walt Disney American Teacher Award for National Teacher of the Year and Oprah Winfrey’s $100,000 Use Your Life Award. He used his award money to create a charitable fund at his school. He is currently working with the NEA to help put Shakespeare in 10,000 American classrooms.

Gertrude Boyle is the matriarch and chairwoman of the board of the international outdoor apparel and footwear manufacturer Columbia Sportswear Company. Hailed by Working Woman magazine as one of America’s Top 50 Women Business Owners – and named one of 1994’s “Best Managers” by Business Week – Boyle is the center of Columbia’s irreverent, award-winning advertising campaign. She portrays cantankerous “Mother Boyle,” the stern taskmaster who enforces Columbia’s demanding quality standards.

Since Boyle and her son Tim began managing the company, Columbia Sportswear has gone from near bankruptcy to become one of the world’s largest outerwear manufacturers and the leading seller of skiwear in the United States. Columbia’s sales have soared from $12.9 million in 1984 to $1.1 billion in 2004, and the company continues to forge ahead with product diversification and innovation.

Throughout her career, Boyle has been a leader in the Portland community. She has received many honors recognizing her business savvy and philanthropic endeavors. Most recently she received Oregon’s prestigious First Citizen Award in 2005.

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Bio-Energy Panel at Willamette University

The Oregon Environmental Council 2004-05 Forum for Business and the Environment presents Bio-Energy: A Boost for Oregon’s Economy Wednesday, March 2, at the Montag Center at Willamette University from 7 to 9 a.m. Participants must register by Feb. 25.

To register, send a check for $25 ($20 for OEC members and employees of nonprofit and governmental agencies) to the Oregon Environmental Council, 222 NW Davis Street, Suite 309, Portland, OR 97209-1405 or register by phone with Visa or MasterCard by contacting Cheryl at (503) 222-1963 ext.100 or email: cheryl@orcouncil.org.

A complimentary full breakfast will be provided. Seating is limited.

Ralph Groschen, senior marketing specialist with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, will discuss Minnesota’s multi-million dollar biofuels industry. Tomas Endicott, SeQuential Biofuels, will discuss Oregon’s potential for biodiesel production.

Dr. Jim Bowyer, University of Minnesota Department of Bio-based Products, will address electricity production from biomass and Minnesota policies and incentives. Glenn Montgomery, sustainable business liaison for the Oregon Economic & Community Development Department, will share the action plan from a recent renewable energy cluster analysis that focused on the biomass and biofuels industries.

The Atkinson Graduate School of Management at Willamette University is an event sponsor.

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Atkinson Graduate School Names Career Director

Beth Ursin is the new director of career services for the Atkinson Graduate School of Management at Willamette University. She begins her new job Aug. 23.

James Goodrich, dean of the school, said, “This opens a new chapter for Atkinson. In Beth we have someone who will focus on building the kind of employer relationships we need in order to place our graduates and increase visibility for the school.”

Ursin’s career started at Whitman College where she was involved in establishing the Whitman College Internship program. After graduating from Whitman with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, she spent six years in career development and launched a three-campus career program for a technical college in Seattle. The program resulted in a key partnership with Microsoft and an average placement rate of 95 percent.

Ursin later moved to Portland and started an educational consulting business that helped 60 people start similar businesses in five states.

She earned her master’s degree in business administration at the Atkinson Graduate School of Management at Willamette University, where she focused on technology, marketing and international management. At Atkinson, she was instrumental in the analysis of e-commerce at 20 government agencies. Her findings influenced the legislation to fund the State of Oregon Internet Portal.

Ursin is currently a partner and chief operating officer for a newly emerging branch of mortgage bank, JurisTrust, a bank designed to offer low cost mortgages through attorneys nationwide.

Ursin and her husband Mark, also an Atkinson graduate, have two children. Alex is a junior in high school and Kristina is a freshman at the University of Oregon.

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Willamette University to Honor Local Leader

Willamette University Atkinson Graduate School of Management and the Portland Business Alliance will present James H. Rudd, chief executive officer and principal of Ferguson Wellman Capital Management, Inc., with The Glenn L. Jackson Leadership Award Tuesday, April 13. The award will be presented at a 7:30 a.m. meeting at PGE, 121 SW Salmon Plaza Conference room, Portland.

The Glenn L. Jackson Leadership Award, created by Willamette University Atkinson Graduate School of Management in 1984, recognizes extraordinary entrepreneurial leadership by an individual on behalf of the State of Oregon. The Award recognizes extraordinary public and private leadership in the tradition of the late Glenn L. Jackson.

Rudd serves as chief executive officer and principal of Ferguson Wellman Capital Management, Inc. He is a graduate of the University of Northern Iowa receiving his bachelor of arts in education/business in 1970 and a graduate degree from the School of Business. Rudd currently serves as a member of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, chairman of the capital campaign and former chairman of the board of trustees for the Oregon Health & Science University Foundation. He is also first vice-chairman of the Oregon State University Foundation; member of the Jesuit High School board of trustees; treasurer of the Oregon Historical Society; member of the Founder’s Circle at SOLV; member of the President’s Council for NW Medical Team; and a member of the Executive Board for the Cascade Pacific Council of the Boy Scouts of America.

Rudd has been recognized for leadership by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Oregon Chapter with the Hope Award in 2002; the Lewis and Clark Watzek Award in 2002 and the Portland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce William S. Naito Award in 1996.

“Jim Rudd’s name has been in the leadership of nearly every worthwhile project in Portland over the last few years,” said Gerry Frank, the first recipient of the award. “He is a true leader in every sense of the word.”

The inscription on the award reads: “GLENN L. JACKSON LEADERSHIP AWARD Presented to James Rudd for demonstrated leadership, integrity and a sense of civic responsibility to your state and your fellow Oregonians in the advancement of entrepreneurial ideals and values.”

Jackson was an Oregonian who served as chairman of Pacific Power and Light (now, PacifiCorp), chairman of the Oregon Transportation Commission and owner of several other entrepreneurial enterprises such as Air Oregon and a chain of newspapers. He believed in making the right thing happen in Oregon and had the capacity and drive to get things done. The award was first presented at the inaugural Willamette University Conference on Entrepreneurship in 1984.

This year’s selection committee included: Gerry Frank, Donald Krahmer Jr., Willamette President Lee Pelton and Atkinson Graduate School of Management Dean James Goodrich. Some of the past award recipients include Howard Vollum, founder of Tektronix; William Healy, founder of Mt. Bachelor; Don Frisbee, PacifiCorp; Michael Powell, Powell’s Books; and Marty Brantley, KPTV.

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PaCE Program Helps Salem Community

A light-hearted dating primer, a unique license plate, an assistance manual for small businesses and a one-of-a-kind hiking guide all proved successful PaCE projects for the students of Willamette University’s Atkinson Graduate School of Management.

PaCE, now in its fifth year, stands for the Private, Public and Community Enterprise Project. These distinct projects are organized by teams of Atkinson graduate students who develop both a business plan and a plan for community service in cooperation with a local non-profit organization. The students create and market a product or service in cooperation with a non-profit agency and then donate the proceeds and substantial volunteer hours to their non-profit partner.

This year’s crop of PaCE endeavors returned $5,660 and more than 1,600 of volunteer hours to the Salem non-profit community.

The Mitchell Group designed, published and sold a dating guide for the greater Salem area. The guide entitled, Got Raisins? How about a Date?, takes a humorous look at dating in general. The Mitchell Group sold 1,100 copies of the dating guide and netted $960.

The Mitchell Group, which partnered with Marion-Polk Food Share (MPFS) to reduce hunger in the Salem area, also contributed more than 580 hours of volunteer work creating a calendar for Chef's Nite Out Fall 2003, conducting multiple food drives, and assisting with Operation Hungry Child by serving 3,000 lunches to students over spring break.

Rubicon Consulting produced the Willamette University logo license plate that is still available through the University Bookstore. Rubicon Consulting provided market research services to the University Store to determine what University-themed products attract student, visitor and alumni consumers.

Rubicon Consulting partnered with the Elsinore Theater to volunteer 500 hours and donated $700. With the purchase of the license plate, the University receives a portion of the registration fee for student programs.

Vesta Ventures developed and distributed a bilingual small-business resource manual entitled, Small Business Success: Where to Find Help in Marion/Polk Counties, the first of its kind to target English- and Spanish-speaking small business owners in the Salem, Oregon area.

Vesta secured $3,900 in sponsorships from local businesses and published 2,000 copies of the 30-page manual for distribution between Woodburn and Albany, OR. Vesta partnered with the Salem Area Habitat for Humanity to volunteer on house raisings, assist with Oregon's first Women's Build Project, and donated $1,000.

Lokahi designed and produced Boots and Bikes: Hiking, Biking, and Cycling in the Mid-Willamette Valley, a 164-page guide plus CD-Rom to 49 different trails in the Mid Willamette Valley. Each trail is rated on level of difficulty, level of fitness and scenery and offers informative narratives, directions, and map for each trail. The uniqueness of this product is the CD-Rom, which has additional information and topographic maps for each trail. The guide is available in local outdoor stores.

Lokahi partnered with the United Way of the Mid-Willamette Valley to volunteer 500 hours and donated more than $3,000.

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Goodrich Named as New Atkinson School Dean

James A. Goodrich, currently associate dean of The Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine University, has been selected as the new dean of the Atkinson Graduate School of Management at Willamette University.

“We are very pleased to welcome Jim Goodrich to Willamette,” said University President Lee Pelton. “Jim brings to this post the reputation and vision Atkinson requires for developing new community partnerships, fund raising and faculty recruitment. His leadership and expertise in managing international business programs will be especially appreciated by faculty, students and Atkinson alumni.

“Jim has a unique insight into this University. His daughter Jessica is a 2001 graduate of Willamette. I’d like to think her experience on this campus helped him and his family make this decision.”

Goodrich, who has been at Pepperdine since 1997, previously served as director of the Westgate Center for Management Development, Eberhardt School of Business, University of the Pacific from 1991-97, and as professor and chair of International Business, School of Business and Public Administration, also at the University of the Pacific from 1989-91.

Since 1998, he has been a tenured full professor of international management at The Graziadio School. He also taught at the University of the Pacific, the University of California, Los Angeles, and as a visiting professor in Costa Rica, Monterrey, Mexico and Strasbourg.

Goodrich earned his undergraduate degree in international relations from Occidental College; his master’s degree in public administration from the University of Kansas, Lawrence; and his Ph.D. in public administration from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Goodrich, who will begin his duties in July as the new dean of AGSM, replaces Interim Dean Steven Maser who agreed to hold the post for the 2002-03 academic year following the departure of former Dean Bryan Johnston. Goodrich noted: “I really appreciate the effort that the AGSM is already making under Steve’s leadership, and look forward to working with Lee Pelton to articulate the vision for this professional school within Willamette University.”

“The faculty and staff believe Jim Goodrich will be an excellent leader,” Maser said. “We expect him to build on the success of our masters program, which is the largest in Oregon, and create new programs that provide valuable educational services to managers and leaders throughout the region.”

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Willamette Names Passadore For Leadership Award

Wells Fargo Oregon Regional Chairman George Passadore has been named the 2002 winner of the Glenn L. Jackson Leadership Award.

The award, presented annually by Atkinson Graduate School of Management at Willamette University, recognizes an individual in business or government who has shown leadership in improving existing conditions, has worked to promote the values of entrepreneurship (innovation, creativity, productivity, quality of life) and has shown a bias for action. The award honors achievement by a leader who recognizes the importance of public-private partnerships and works to provide leadership in both sectors.

Passadore is the 19th recipient of the award. Past winners include Bill and Sam Naito, Gerry Frank, Ken and Joan Austin, and Marty Brantley.

A Portland native, Passadore volunteers as board president of Tri-Met and as chair of the Portland Business Alliance. He also serves on the boards of the Portland Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, Oregon Business Council, Portland Art Museum, and Holt International Children's Services.

He is a also a past chair of the Oregon Health Sciences University Foundation board of trustees; a former board member of the Portland Public Schools Foundation; Associated Oregon Industries; and a past trustee of the Oregon Independent College Foundation.

Passadore joined Wells Fargo in 1962 when it operated in the Northwest as First National Bank of Oregon, and later as First Interstate Bancorp.

Glenn Jackson, for whom the award is named, is considered to have been one of Oregon's most powerful and effective political leaders. He was a personal adviser to six Oregon governors and served on the State Highway Commission for 20 years - 17 as its chairman.

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Maser to Lead Atkinson at Willamette University

Beginning August first, Steven Maser, the current managing director of the Atkinson Executive Development Center, will serve a one-year appointment as interim dean of the Atkinson Graduate School of Management at Willamette University.

Maser, who has taught public management and public policy at the University since 1978, has served previously as both associate dean and interim dean.

Assisting Maser as associate dean for the academic year will be Debra Ringold, Atkinson professor of marketing since 1994.

"I am very pleased that Steve and Debra have agreed to step up," said Willamette University President Lee Pelton. "Strong leadership at Atkinson is always critical, but we are particularly focused today because of the goals we have in place for the Graduate School of Management. With their years of experience at Atkinson, Steve and Debra know well the challenges and opportunities that require our attention.

"Our national search for a new dean did not produce the candidate we hoped for," he added. "Having Steve and Debra at the helm for the next year will give us additional time to continue a thoughtful search, to solidify a major gifts program for Atkinson, and to develop a dean's fund to support key initiatives such as executive education."

In addition to his duties as interim dean, Maser will continue to lead the Executive Development Center and will teach one course both in the fall and spring.

In addition to her duties as associate dean, Ringold will coordinate an evaluation of Atkinson's full-time degree program and review the administrative operations of the School. She will maintain her current teaching responsibilities, including a new team-taught course offered jointly with the College of Law.

Maser replaces Bryan Johnston who stepped down as dean this spring in order to run for public office.

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PaCE Program at Willamette Helps Area Non-Profits for 4th Year

What do Habitat for Humanity, coloring books, antennae balls and greeting cards have in common? For a brief time anyway, they were all the focus of the PaCE Project at the Atkinson Graduate School of Management at Willamette University.

PaCE stands for the Private, Public and Community Enterprise Project organized by teams of Atkinson graduate students who develop both a business plan and a plan for community service in cooperation with a local non-profit organization. The students create and market a product or service in cooperation with a non-profit agency and then donate the proceeds and substantial volunteer hours to their non-profit partner.

PaCE has a history of returning substantial profits to non-profit partners. In 1999-00, three enterprises contributed net revenues totaling more than $17,000 to the YMCA, the Garten Foundation and Shangri-La. In 2000-01, three enterprises contributed net revenues in excess of $5,800 and 1,100 hours of volunteer work to Habitat for Humanity, Easter Seals Children’s Guild and the YMCA. Commercial ventures included an Oregon-based recipe book, a jazz music compact disc and a service that taught seniors to use the web.

The four teams all had to apply for capital start-up loans through Marion and Polk Schools Credit Union, which offer loans to the PaCE program of up to $6,000. PaCE students also enroll concurrently in year-long courses that cover those issues likely to surface during their PaCE partnerships like organization theory and behavior, human resource management, and negotiation, marketing, government-business relationships, and international management.

This year the teams were The Phoenix Group, which provided consulting services and volunteered hours to the Salem Area Habitat for Humanity; Mill Stream Publishing created a bilingual activity/coloring book and partnered with the Salem Outreach Shelter where they helped tutor, developed a business plan and provided manual labor at the shelter.

AB Promotions marketed antennae balls to organizations that displayed that organization’s logo. They partnered with the YMCA and helped with Teen Center activities, fundraising, event planning and facilitation. Finally, Oregon Inspirations created greeting cards with photos of Oregon scenery. This team partnered with MedAssist and helped offices in Salem Hospital with brochure development and market analysis.

This year’s final PaCE presentations are scheduled for April 1. During these 20-minute presentations, the graduate students will share the results of their respective projects and will present participating non-profit organizations with checks and a final count for the volunteer hours generated by the teams.

The theory behind PaCE is that direct experience is the best teacher. “Student understanding of management concepts improves because their projects show them how disciplinary skills fit together,” said Alison Hohengarten, Atkinson assistant dean. “Trial-and-error problem solving improves their retention and the reality of the problems helps students see the applications of new ideas and approaches to other settings.”

She added, “Students also develop better interpersonal and team skills because they must coordinate the efforts of up to 25 people. They gain confidence and insight into alternative career paths in management, and on occasion, continue their profitable enterprises.”

For more information, contact Hohengarten at ahohenga@willamette.edu or visit the Atkinson Graduate School of Management.

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Lecture Series to Focus on Islam

With the belief that understanding is a key to tolerance, the Atkinson Graduate School of Management at Willamette University will sponsor three lectures on “Islam and the West” Feb. 7, 14 and April 10. All lectures begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Paulus Lecture Hall in the Willamette College of Law. All lectures are free and open to the public.

On Feb. 7, Professor Jere Bacharach will discuss “Monuments of Power: Islamic Architecture from Spain to India, 700 to 1500.”

Bacharach is the Golub Professor of International Studies at the University of Washington where he received his Ph.D. in Middle East history. He is the past president of the Middle East Studies Association of North America, the largest academic organization involved in the study of the Middle East and Middle East medievalists. He has written on Islamic art, archaeology, coins and history

On Feb. 14, Professor Daniel Chirot will discuss “Why Some Wars Become Genocidal and Others Do Not: Understanding the War We Are In.”

Chirot is director of the International Studies Program at the Jackson School of International Studies, University of Washington. A professor of international studies and sociology, he holds a Ph.D. from Columbia.

He was the founding editor of the journal East European Politics and Societies and is the co-director and founder of the University of Washington Center for the Study of Ethnic Conflict and Conflict Resolution.

Chirot has worked as a consultant with the United States government, the National Endowment for Democracy, the Ford Foundation and CARE.

On April 10, Professor Richard C. Martin will discuss “September 11th: Clash of Civilization or Islamic Revolution?”

Martin is a professor of Islamic studies and history of religion at Emory University in Atlanta. He received his Ph.D. in Near Eastern languages and literature from New York University. His scholarly interests include Islamic studies, comparative religions, and religion and conflict.

At Emory, Martin chairs the Committee for the Study of Islam, an interdisciplinary group of 13 faculty members who specialize in Islamic studies. He serves on the executive committee of the American Research Center in Egypt.

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Willamette's Atkinson School Creates New Custom-Training Programs For Managers

Willamette's Atkinson School Creates New Custom-Training Programs For Managers
Salem, Ore. - The Willamette University Atkinson Graduate School of Management announces today the creation of the Executive Development Center (EDC), designed to provide custom management development and executive education programs for government, not-for-profit and business organizations.

Teams of Atkinson faculty and adjunct professionals will develop and teach programs which are tailored to the needs of each client. Programs will vary in length from three days to several weeks depending on the client's requirements. Locations will vary from classes on Willamette's campus to classes at the client's site to distance learning, including on-line and video conferencing.

The EDC bases its programs on a two-fold philosophy: the best management practices apply across business, government and not-for-profit organizations and leading change, rather than reacting to it, generates the best practices.

"Atkinson's unique approach to management provides a strong foundation for educating managers," said Bob Rose, executive director of the EDC. "The EDC provides the tools, such as communication, leadership and team skills, that businesses need to succeed in the 21st century."

For more information on the Executive Development Center, call 503-370-6858, email agsm-edc@willamette.edu or go on-line at Executive Development Centerfor successful professional and personal lives.

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Willamette Atkinson Graduate School of Management Names Advisory Board

The Willamette University Atkinson Graduate School of Management named the members to its Advisory Board today. The Advisory Board members include:

• Dixie Arthur — chief operating officer, American Society of Association Executives, Washington, D.C.
• Judy Basker — development officer, University Relations, Willamette University, Salem, Ore.
• L. B. Day — organization consultant, L.B. Day & Company, Inc., Portland, Ore.
• James Fitzhenry — senior vice president, FLIR Systems, Inc., Portland, Ore.
• Elizabeth Gilchrist — senior vice president and chief financial officer, Bank of Edmonds, Edmonds, Wash.
• Ann Jackson — executive director and chief executive officer, Oregon Hospice Association, Portland, Ore.
• Katsuyasu Kato — president, Aomori Public College, Aomori, Japan Donald L. Krahmer, Jr. — attorney, Black Helterline, LLP, Portland, Ore.
• Sean Kuni — president, Kuni Enterprises, Inc., Beaverton, Ore. James McCluskey — senior managing director, Bear Stears Asset Management, San Francisco, Calif.
• Hamilton I. McCubbin — chief executive officer, Kamehameha Schools, Honolulu, Hawaii
• Alan Shiffer — chief executive officer, ConceroGroup.com, Lake Oswego, Ore.
• Craig Smith — chief financial officer, Chemeketa Community College, Salem, Ore. Dick Withnell — president, Withnell Auto , Salem, Ore.

"We are excited about the wealth of experience our board members will bring the Atkinson Graduate School," said Bryan Johnston, dean of the Atkinson Graduate School of Management. "Their leadership in the non-profit and for-profit sectors bring depth to our management program."

Founded in 1974, Atkinson offers a Master of Business Administration for Business, Government and Not-For-Profit Management. Atkinson is the only school in the nation accredited by the National Association of Schools of Public Policy and the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools. The Atkinson Schoolís goal is to develop management skills across functions and across sectors, Johnston said.

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Willamette to Graduate First Class in State of Oregon Certificate of Public Management

Willamette University Atkinson Graduate School of Management's first State of Oregon Certificate of Public Management graduating class of 39 students will celebrate the completion of the program on Thursday, April 12 at 3 p.m. in the Cone Chapel, 2nd floor Waller Hall. The graduation is open to the public.

This innovative program is offered to enhance the decision-making, stewardship and leadership skills of Oregon management personnel and to promote career opportunities for current state employees. The primary objective of the program is to foster a successful management team in Oregon's state government.

Successful completion of eight courses over a two-year period will lead to receipt of the Certificate of Public Management and will result in creation of a student transcript at Willamette, reflecting 12 credit hours toward a Master of Management degree.

The curriculum for this program is composed of portions of courses taught at the Atkinson Graduate School of Management. This program was created as a partnership between the state of Oregon and the Atkinson Graduate School of Management.

Courses offered in the Certificate of Public Management program have included:

• Strategic Marketing for Public & Non-Profits
• Quantitative Analysis
• Organizational Design & Change
• Markets & Government
• Management Control
• Human Resources, Leadership & Negotiation
• Information Technology Strategic Management
• Team Building
• Public Finance

Students were required to take eight of the 10 courses offered.

For more information on the graduation, contact the Atkinson Graduate School of Management at 503-370-6440.

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