The Board of Directors of Connecticut Campus Compact (CTCC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Saul Petersen, Ph.D., as its executive director. Dr. Petersen will become the organization's first full time executive director since CTCC was founded in 1997, and will work on the Fairfield University campus where CTCC is hosted. The organization's member campuses seek to involve students, faculty, and entire campus communities in meaningful service in order to fulfill higher education's most noble goals of educating citizens, preparing tomorrow's leaders and contributing to the life of communities across the globe. CTCC is one of 35 state offices across the country in the national Campus Compact network.

Representing eighteen member organizations throughout the state serving more than 113,000 students, its coalition of Connecticut college and university presidents are committed to promoting the civic mission and purpose of higher education.

Rev. Jeffrey P. von Arx, S.J., president of Fairfield University and CTCC chair, said Dr. Petersen has a wealth of experience for his new assignment; Dr. Petersen most recently held the position of director of the Center for Community Research and Engagement at Seton Hall University, he noted.

"Hiring Dr. Saul Petersen marks an important milestone in the history of Connecticut Campus Compact," Fr. von Arx said. "CTCC has experienced remarkable growth in the last two years including an increase in membership and new opportunities for statewide, regional and national collaboration. Saul Petersen was chosen for his extensive experience creating campus-community partnerships as well as his background in research, teaching and service-learning. Under Dr. Petersen's enthusiastic leadership, we anticipate continued growth, expanded programming and enhanced member services."

In his post at Seton Hall, Dr. Petersen oversaw the coordination of all service-learning and community-based research on the campus. He has served as a consultant for Kingsborough Community College's Center for Economic and Workforce Development and has held a number of teaching positions at both the graduate and undergraduate level in the areas of teacher supervision, child development, and educational psychology. He earned a Ph.D. in educational psychology from the Graduate Center at The City University of New York (CUNY) and a bachelor's degree from Bard College in New York. A native of Ireland, Dr. Petersen will be relocating to Connecticut with his wife and young son.

CTCC supports the integration of community service into the academic and co-curricular cultures of its member campuses by sponsoring faculty and professional development, facilitating collaborations and networking opportunities, connecting members with capacity-building resources, engaging in advocacy, and raising public awareness.

For more information, please visit www.fairfield.edu/ctcampuscompact .

Media Contact: Meg McCaffrey, Fairfield University, (203) 254-4000, ext. 2726, or Anne Watkins, executive director, CTCC, (203) 254-4000, ext. 2312

Posted On: 05-25-2010 10:05 AM

Volume: 42 Number: 300