Dr. Joseph Duffey to Speak at Walden University Academic Residency

MINNEAPOLIS, March 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Dr. Joseph Duffey, a successful leader in higher education, government and business who has served under three U.S. presidents, will speak to more than 600 doctoral students at Walden University's academic residency on March 24, 2012, at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City in Arlington, Va. Dr. Duffey will share his perspective on the evolution of online learning communities in higher education, as well as personal stories and experiences from his distinguished career.

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Dr. Duffey is currently senior vice president of strategy and academic affairs for Laureate Education, where he is responsible for education and academic quality and coordinates the development of Laureate International Universities network programs and partnerships worldwide. Prior to joining Laureate, he served as director of the United States Information Agency (USIA), a position to which he was appointed by President Bill Clinton and confirmed by the U.S. Senate in 1993. He was assistant secretary of state for educational and cultural affairs and chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities under presidents Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan.

He served as president of American University and was chancellor of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst from 1982 to 1991, during which time he was also elected as president of the four-campus UMass system. A former faculty member at Yale University and fellow of the Harvard Kennedy School, he was also a U.S. delegate to the General Conferences of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Dr. Duffey holds 14 honorary degrees from American colleges and universities and in 1993 was awarded an honorary doctor of letters by Ritsumeikan University in Japan. In 1980, he was named commander of the Order of the Crown by the King of Belgium, and he has been a member of the Council on Foreign Relations since 1979. He has published widely on themes relating to higher education and social and economic issues.

Academic residencies at Walden, an accredited online university, support students' academic and professional goals by connecting them with faculty mentors and diverse groups of peers to encourage the vibrant exchange of ideas and perspectives. During residencies, students from select doctoral and master's programs have the opportunity to conceptualize and develop research initiatives that contribute to positive social change.

Walden's plenary sessions are an integral part of the residencies and are led by speakers from around the world who share their experiences and viewpoints with the hope of inspiring debate and lively conversation. These sessions are intended to provide Walden students and faculty and staff members with the opportunity to hear perspectives on a variety of topics that are meaningful and relevant to their lives as scholars and practitioners.

Visit www.WaldenU.edu/perspectives for an archive of past Walden speakers.

About Walden University
For more than 40 years, Walden University has supported working professionals in achieving their academic goals and making a greater impact in their professions and their communities. Today, more than 48,500 students from all 50 states and more than 140 countries are pursuing their bachelor's, master's or doctoral degrees online at Walden. The university provides students with an engaging educational experience that connects them with expert faculty and peers around the world. Walden is the flagship online university in the Laureate International Universities network—a global network of more than 55 campus-based and online universities in 28 countries.

Walden offers more than 65 degree programs with more than 330 specializations and concentrations. Areas of study include health sciences, counseling, human services, management, psychology, education, public health, nursing, public administration and information technology. For more information, visit www.WaldenU.edu. Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association, www.ncahlc.org.

SOURCE Walden University