M. Lee Pelton
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| M. Lee Pelton | |
| 22nd President of Willamette University | |
|---|---|
| Term | July 1998 – Present |
| Predecessor | Jerry Hudson |
| Born | |
| Alma mater | Wichita State University Harvard University |
| Profession | dean professor |
| Website: Website | |
Dr. M. Lee Pelton (b. circa 1950) is the president of Willamette University in Salem, Oregon, which is the oldest university in the western United States. He is the first African-American president since the university's founding in 1842. Pelton previously was a Senior Tutor at Harvard University, and a dean at Colgate University and Dartmouth College.
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[edit] Early life
Pelton grew up in Wichita, Kansas, where he graduated from Wichita North High School.[1] His father worked as a laborer and later as a manager for a city department while his mother was a stay at home mom.[1] In 1974, Pelton graduated from Wichita State University.[2] There he earned a degree in English and psychology while graduating magna cum laude with a focus in 19th century British literature.[2] Later he earned a doctorate in English and American literature from Harvard in 1984.[3]
[edit] Career
While working on his doctorate at Harvard, Pelton served as an instructor and teaching fellow in the same topics as his doctorate from 1980 to 1986.[2] In 1986 he then became the Senior Tutor of one of Harvard’s undergraduate colleges, Winthrop House.[2] From 1986 to 1988 M. Lee Pelton was the dean of students at Colgate College followed by the dean of the school from 1988 to 1991.[3] From 1991 to 1998 he was dean of Dartmouth College.[4] At Dartmouth he was responsible for the largest administrative body of the school and a professor of English.[2] In July of 1998 Pelton was appointed as the 22nd president of Willamette University.[2]
[edit] Other
Pelton also holds positions on several educational boards and committees: the American Council on Education, the Harvard University Board of Overseers, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and the Oregon Symphony, Oregon Health & Science University Foundation, American Association for Higher Education, National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, and National Collegiate Athletic Association among others.[2][3] Pelton serves on the board of directors of Portland General Electric, the local publicly traded electric utility.[5] He is married to Carol Pelton, manager of the Oregon Cultural Trust, and the couple have four children.[6]
[edit] References
- ^ a b Haynes, Dana. Willamette president feels at home here. Statesman Journal, February 14, 1999.
- ^ a b c d e f g College: Biography of M. Lee Pelton. The New York Times. Retrieved December 6, 2007.
- ^ a b c Carter, Steve. The Monday Profile: M. Lee Pelton, Job: 22nd President of Willamette University. The Oregonian, February 17, 2003.
- ^ Top Dartmouth Official Is Quitting, the Fourth in Six Months. The New York Times, January 7, 1998. pg. B.7
- ^ Dr.M. Lee Pelton, Ph. D. Portfolio.com. Retrieved December 6, 2007.
- ^ New manager chosen at Oregon Cultural Trust. topix. Retrieved January 25, 2008.
