GW’S COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT OF TWO ASSOCIATE DEANS

WASHINGTON – The Dean of The George Washington University’s College of Professional Studies (CPS), Roger Whitaker, announces the appointment of two new Associate Deans – Ali Eskandarian and Ginger Smith.  CPS is the newest of GW’s degree-granting Colleges, authorized by the Board of Trustees in 2001 to concentrate primarily on entrepreneurial and innovative approaches to customizing learning solutions for organizations external to the University.

“I am very pleased to see the leadership of the College now in place,” said Vice President for Academic Affairs Donald R. Lehman.  “This is a strong team with extensive experience in innovative approaches towards providing customized education for high-level professionals.”

Dean Whitaker said he is confident the two will further CPS’s new direction in higher education. “Their solid academic backgrounds involving research and teaching, combined with their orientation to new program development and entrepreneurial opportunities, fit wonderfully with the strategic intentions of our new College,” Whitaker said.  “I know Ali and Ginger will bring energy, direction, strong internal and external GW relationships, and an assurance of quality to our efforts.”

Eskandarian brings to CPS a distinguished record of scholarship, as well as extensive experience in interdisciplinary curriculum development in the field of integrated science and technology.  Before coming to GW, Eskandarian worked at the National Research Council and Computer Sciences Corporation.  Since 1998, he was a Distinguished Oliver Professor of Integrated Science and Technology, and a Virginia Eminent Scholar, with a joint appointment  in the Computer Science Department at The James Madison University. 

            “I received both my B.S. and Ph.D. degrees from GW,” Eskandarian said.  “So it’s great to be able to take my experiences since GW, and utilize them in building the new College of Professional Studies.  GW’s location, coupled with the tremendous talent of its faculty, puts it at a unique advantage to assimilate the needs of working professionals with a wide range of innovative high-quality programs that the University can offer.”

An associate professor and director of the Accelerated Master of Tourism Administration (AMTA) program in the School of Business and Public Management at GW, Smith brings high-level intergovernmental and interdisciplinary academic experience to CPS.  She developed and implemented the AMTA into an Internet-delivered, multimedia distance-learning format and was founding dean for the International School of Tourism and Hotel Management, Colegio Universitario del Este, Puerto Rico.  Smith served as senior international policy analyst and acting director of public affairs for the U.S. Travel and Tourism Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. 

            “In this new role I look forward to building relationships that strengthen GW’s outreach to less traditional students,” Smith said.  “This includes assisting current programs any way we can to creating innovative research and analytical services on multidisciplinary themes that appeal to the adult world.”   

CPS, the University’s ninth degree-granting unit supports the University’s other schools and colleges that offer off-campus programs with marketing, enrollment management and a variety of student and administrative services. In addition, CPS develops its own degrees – Associates, Bachelors, and Masters of Professional Studies – that will be customized to address the learning needs of organizations and will be delivered under contract to those partnering organizations.

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©2002 The George Washington University Office of University Relations, Washington, D.C.
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