Norwich University’s College of Graduate and Continuing Studies (CGCS) is pleased to announce that Kristen Pedersen, PhD, has been appointed to Director of Continuing and Professional Education (CPE), effective March 12, 2018. In this newly created role, Pedersen is responsible for providing strong leadership and strategic management of CGCS’ CPE programming to position Norwich University as a premier provider of CPE to organizations in the public and private sectors, as well as the military. Among her many duties, Pedersen will establish pathways for both credit-bearing and non-credit offerings, and assist CGCS Dean Bill Clements in generating opportunities for business development.
Pedersen possesses over a decade’s worth of experience in executive education and professional development, including stints as managing director, program manager, professional consultant, and recently, as Director of Executive and Professional Education at Portland State University’s School of Business, where she spearheaded the design and implementation of customized executive training and leadership programs applicable to county, city and state government organizations throughout the region. A veteran of the US Coast Guard, Pedersen has a deep personal connection to the military and an affinity for designing degree programs and courses specifically for cadets, active duty and veteran students. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Media Communication (1997) and a Master of Arts in Communication (2000), both from the University of South Alabama, as well as a Doctor of Philosophy in Public Communication (2008) from Bournemouth University in Poole, England.
In addition to her work as a manager, course designer and administrator for academic programs, Pedersen has taught online courses in communication, management, public relations and more for Portland State University. She has served on a number of boards and committees—most recently, the advisory board of the Conference for Management and Executive Development—and takes an active role in professional development, having earned certifications from BBC London, LERN Institute and The Brussels School of International Studies.
About her role with Norwich University and CGCS, Pedersen said: “Being part of the deep and distinctive Norwich tradition is a dream job and I feel lucky to be part of the CGCS team!”
Norwich University is a diversified academic institution that educates traditional-age students and adults in a Corps of Cadets and as civilians. Norwich offers a broad selection of traditional and distance-learning programs culminating in Baccalaureate and Graduate Degrees. Norwich University was founded in 1819 by Captain Alden Partridge of the U.S. Army and is the oldest private military college in the United States of America. Norwich is one of our nation's six senior military colleges and the birthplace of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC). www.norwich.edu
Norwich University will celebrate its bicentennial in 2019. In fulfillment of Norwich’s mission to train and educate today’s students to be tomorrow’s global leaders and captains of industry, Norwich launched the Forging the Future campaign in 2014. The five-year campaign, which is timed to culminate in 2019, is committed to creating the best possible learning environment through state-of-the-art academics and world-class facilities and is designed to enhance the university’s strong position as it steps into its third century of service to the nation.
Norwich University’s College of Graduate and Continuing Studies (CGCS) builds upon the institution’s nearly 200-year academic heritage with innovative online programs. CGCS offers master’s degrees in a variety of areas; bachelor’s degree completion programs; graduate certificates; and continuing education opportunities. The programs are recognized throughout the industry for their rigor, small class size, high student satisfaction and retention. online.norwich.edu