Walter Pearson CV

304 North C Street, Indianola, IA 50125
515.961.1615 (w) 515.961.1969 (h)
e-mail: walter.pearson@simpson.edu

Education
College of Education, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa
Ph.D., Adult and Extension Education 2000
Dissertation: “Enhancing adult student persistence: The relationship between prior learning assessment and persistence toward the baccalaureate degree”
Dissertation advisors: Professor Flo Hamrick, Professor John Schuh

College of Education, University of Missouri – Kansas City, Kansas City, Missouri
M. A., Adult and Continuing Education 1986
Creative component: The formation of the Institute for Labor Studies, Kansas City, Missouri.

Antioch University, Silver Spring, Maryland
B. A., Labor Studies 1984

Teaching
I have consistently demonstrated excellence as a teacher. More than 10,000 working adults have participated in credit and non-credit programs I have instructed.

Simpson College, Indianola, Iowa 1996-current
New faculty orientation each term, Faculty conference twice yearly

National Labor College, AFL-CIO, Silver Spring, Maryland 1991-2004
Instructor: Arbitration, organizing, new officer and staff training, collective bargaining, strategic grievance handling

Bakery, Confectionery, and Tobacco Workers International Union, Kensington, Maryland 1989-1994. Director of Education: Grievance handling, advanced grievance handling, collective bargaining, advanced collective bargaining, officer training, advanced officer training, arbitration, organizing, internal organizing, financial officers, local union executive board training, political action, labor law

University of Missouri – Kansas City, Kansas City, Missouri 1985-1988
Instructor Credit courses: Labor history, teaching about the labor movement
Non-credit courses: Corporate research, grievance handling, leadership skills, collective bargaining, labor law, workplace safety, labor and politics

Longview Community College, Lee’s Summit, Missouri 1985-1988
Instructor Credit courses: Collective bargaining, grievance handling

Professional Experience

Simpson College, Indianola, IA, 1995-Present
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs; Director, Division of Adult Learning; Assistant Professor of Education

In this position I: hire, supervise, and evaluate over 100 faculty each year; adminsiter supplemental compensation and budget development for all 240 faculty; organize faculty development and sustain academic quality; participate in academic policy and hiring; administer the system of prior learning assessment; serve on committees appointed by the president focusing on marketing, strategic plaanning, continuous improvement, and administrative search, supervise student recruitment and advising for 800 part-time students; hire and supervise 15 staff (including full-time faculty); organize and manage summer academic programs; manage two branch campuses; develop new programs, schedule evening, weekend, and summer courses; oversee conference use of campuses; provide outreach credit and non-credit programs to corporate and organizational sites; market the program; maintain an active research agenda; prepare and monitor (with signature authority) a $3.1M budget.

Achievements
Enrollment has increased significantly since I became the Division’s Director. The Division of Adult Learning (DAL) has returned substantial net revenue to the college each year (approximately $1,000,000 this year). The Noel-Levitz Adult Student Priorities Survey satisfaction results for DAL students place the program in the top echelon of private college adult degree programs. The DAL program won the ACHE Region VIII award as the Outstanding Credit Program for 1999, in part because of our innovation in taking credit classes to corporate sites and our work to enhance the connection between faculty and the community through our departmental advisory committees consisting of leaders in the professions. A much enhanced web presence has been accomplished, using the web site as a tool for students. An innovative degree program called Saturday FASTrack using online/hybrid courses was launched in 2002. The West Des Moines campus was opened in January 1999 and refurbished in 2005 with expanded classroom and computer lab space and a new campus in Ankeny opened in summer 2003. The innovative George Washington Carver Teacher Education Program admitted the first class to recruit teachers of color in November, 2003 in a unique collaboration with Iowa State University and the Des Moines Area Community College. This program received the Distinguished Credit Program Award from ACHE in 2005. Regular faculty dialogs with community college faculty have led to a rise in transfer students from the community college and exploration of a new degree program in forensic science. Simpson College has initiated the first graduate degree program in its history to support a transition to teaching for adults. Led this expansion of accreditation and participated actively in the college-wide 2005 re-accreditation process with NCA.

1989 – 1994 Director of Education for the Bakery, Confectionery, and Tobacco Workers International Union, AFL-CIO. Experience and achievements:
Created the organization’s North American leadership development system, taught leadership development courses across the U. S. and Canada for local and national leaders and staff. Established a leadership development scholarship fund for leaders and managed all aspects of two scholarship funds. Developed video and written materials and provided training to enable a wide variety of staff and leaders to carry out further training.

1985 - 1988 Director of the Institute for Labor Studies for University of Missouri – Kansas City. Experience and achievements:
Developed the Institute for Labor Studies as a collaborative project by the Metropolitan Community College (MCC) and the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC). Taught local union leaders in the Kansas City region. Recruited and maintained a strong advisory board to guide program development and marketing. Taught credit courses within the UMKC and MCC “PACE” adult degree programs and a graduate course for the UMKC College of Education.

Presentations

"Supporting adult student persistence". University Continuing Education Association regional conference. Evanston, IL. September, 2007
"Best practices in adult higher education for 2006: ACHE Program Award winners", Association for Continuing Higher Education international conference, Los Angeles, California, November, 2006.
"The core of effective outreach: The well-organized advisory committee”, Association for Continuing Higher Education international conference, Madison, WI, November 2005.
"Best practices in adult higher education for 2004: ACHE Program Award winners”, Association for Continuing Higher Education international conference, Newport, Rhode Island, November, 2004.
"Best practices in adult higher education for 2003: ACHE Program Award winners”, Association for Continuing Higher Education international conference, Charlottesville, VA, November, 2003.
"Emerging standards for accreditation of adult degree programs and prior learning assessment in North Central Association”, Association for Continuing Higher Education international conference, Birmingham, AL, November, 2002
Building commitment to adult students: Developing support”, Association for Continuing Higher Education international conference, Vancouver, BC, November, 2001
"The unsung heroes of adult student success: The academic advisor”, Association for Continuing Higher Education international conference, Vancouver, BC, November, 2001
“A new model: How to build continuing education business and improve the bottom line” , Association for Continuing Higher Education international conference, Vancouver, BC, November, 2001
“The role of research in promoting recognition of prior learning”. Conference title: Recognizing learning: Building Canada’s prosperity. Human Resource Development Canada, PLA Centre. October 28-31, 2001. Halifax, NS
“Using research as ammunition to support PLAR”. Conference title: Recognizing learning: Building Canada’s prosperity. Human Resource Development Canada, PLA Centre, October 28-31, 2001. Halifax, Nova Scotia.
“The role of the portfolio form of PLA in adult student persistence”, Council for Adult and Experiential Education national conference, Chicago, IL, November, 2000.
“Enhancing adult student persistence”, Association for Continuing Higher Education international conference, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, October, 2000.
“The use of departmental advisory committees to build continuing education programs”, Association for Continuing Higher Education Region VIII meeting, Des Moines, IA, 2000
“Building cooperative programs at corporate sites: Principal Financial and Bridgestone/Firestone Manufacturing”, Association for Continuing Higher Education Region VIII meeting, Des Moines, IA, 2000.
“Improving marketing efforts through qualitative and quantitative research,” Association for Continuing Higher Education Region VIII meeting, Des Moines, IA, 2000.
“Understanding adult student persistence”, Missouri Valley Adult Education Association annual conference, Overland Park, Kansas, 1997.

Publications

Pearson, W. (2005). “Assuring instructional effectiveness” in L. Bash (Ed.), Best Practices in Adult Learning. Bolton, MA: Anker.
Pearson, W. 2004. “What is most important to adult students? Assuring instructional effectiveness.” ACHE Proceedings (The proceedings of the 66th annual meeting of the Association for Continuing Higher Education, Newport, Rhode Island).
Pearson, W., Armstrong, G., Wright, J. 2004. “Let Us Break Bread Together: The George Washington Carver Teacher Education Program - A true collaboration”. ACHE Proceedings (The proceedings of the 66th annual meeting of the Association for Continuing Higher Education, Newport, Rhode Island).
Pearson, W. 2004. Supporting adult student persistence to the baccalaureate degree. Journal of Continuing Higher Education, 52 (4).
Pearson, W. and Bolen, J. 2001. “The unsung heroes of adult student success: The academic advisor”. ACHE Proceedings (The proceedings of the 63rd annual meeting of the Association for Continuing Higher Education, Vancouver, Canada, November 3-6, 2001).
Pearson, W. 2001. “Building commitment to adult students: Developing support”. ACHE Proceedings (The proceedings of the 63rd annual meeting of the Association for Continuing Higher Education, Vancouver, Canada, November 3-6, 2001).
Pearson, W. 2001. “Four arguments for PLA”. Journal of Continuing Higher Education. Fall, 2001
Pearson, W. 2001. “Enhancing adult student persistence: The relationship between prior learning assessment and persistence toward the baccalaureate degree”. CAEL Forum and News. Spring, 2001.
Pearson, W. 2000. “Enhancing adult student persistence”. ACHE Proceedings (The proceedings of the 62nd annual meeting of the Association for Continuing Higher Education, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, October, 2000).

In addition, I have been the author of a wide range of non-profit leadership education manuals, videos, and instructor manuals.

Research

Adult learner satisfaction with advising services (1997, 2003), college services (2000, 2002, 2004).
Dissertation research on persistence and prior learning assessment (1998-2000).
Focus group research on perceptions of Simpson College and marketing themes (1998).
Cross-sectional marketing survey of adult students and prospective students (1998, 2003).
Cross-sectional survey of adult learners (1996).
Research interests: Prior learning assessment and adult student persistence, academic advising for adult students, administration of adult learning programs.

Consulting Experience
Emerson College (2005), Nebraska Wesleyan University (2001-2002), Columbia College (2000), University of Iowa (1994), and U.S. Agency for International Development (1995). Served as a member (1993-1994) of the federal court’s Desegregation Monitoring Committee to implement the desegregation and school improvement order for the Kansas City school district. Retail, Wholesale, Department Store Union (1994-2007), Transport Workers Union (1995-2008), George Meany Center for Labor Studies, AFL-CIO (1985-2004).

Professional Associations
Association for Continuing Higher Education (ACHE): Chair, Awards Committee (2001-2006); Program committee (2003, 2005); Treasurer and Awards Committee, ACHE Region VIII. District Compensation Consultant for the Unitarian Ujniversalist Association, Board of Trustees and Personnel Committee Chair at First Unitarian Church. Prior boards and committees: Antioch University Labor Studies Degree Program Advisory Board, Kansas City Labor Council Executive Board, Area Food Council Secretary-Treasurer, SEIU Central States Executive Board, University of Missouri Columbia Labor Studies Advisory Committee, Kansas City Mayor’s Committee on Capital Improvements, BCTWIU Task Force on Leadership Development.


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Dr. Walter S. Pearson 304 North C Street, Indianola, IA 50125 515.961.1615 (w) 515.961.1969 (h) e-mail: walter.pearson@simpson.edu Education College of Education, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa Ph.D., Adult and Extension Education 2000 Dissertation: “Enhancing adult student persistence: The relationship between prior learning assessment and persistence toward the baccalaureate degree” Dissertation advisors: Professor Flo Hamrick, Professor John Schuh College of Education, University of Missouri – Kansas City, Kansas City, Missouri M. A., Adult and Continuing Education 1986 Creative component: The formation of the Institute for Labor Studies, Kansas City, Missouri. Antioch University, Silver Spring, Maryland B. A., Labor Studies 1984 Teaching I have consistently demonstrated excellence as a teacher. More than 10,000 working adults have participated in credit and non-credit programs I have instructed. Simpson College, Indianola, Iowa 1996-current New faculty orientation each term, Faculty conference twice yearly National Labor College, AFL-CIO, Silver Spring, Maryland 1991-2004 Instructor: Arbitration, organizing, new officer and staff training, collective bargaining, strategic grievance handling Bakery, Confectionery, and Tobacco Workers International Union, Kensington, Maryland 1989-1994. Director of Education: Grievance handling, advanced grievance handling, collective bargaining, advanced collective bargaining, officer training, advanced officer training, arbitration, organizing, internal organizing, financial officers, local union executive board training, political action, labor law University of Missouri – Kansas City, Kansas City, Missouri 1985-1988 Instructor Credit courses: Labor history, teaching about the labor movement Non-credit courses: Corporate research, grievance handling, leadership skills, collective bargaining, labor law, workplace safety, labor and politics Longview Community College, Lee’s Summit, Missouri 1985-1988 Instructor Credit courses: Collective bargaining, grievance handling Professional Experience Simpson College, Indianola, IA, 1995-Present Associate Dean for Academic Affairs; Director, Division of Adult Learning; Assistant Professor of Education In this position I: hire, supervise, and evaluate over 100 faculty each year; adminsiter supplemental compensation and budget development for all 240 faculty; organize faculty development and sustain academic quality; participate in academic policy and hiring; administer the system of prior learning assessment; serve on committees appointed by the president focusing on marketing, strategic plaanning, continuous improvement, and administrative search, supervise student recruitment and advising for 800 part-time students; hire and supervise 15 staff (including full-time faculty); organize and manage summer academic programs; manage two branch campuses; develop new programs, schedule evening, weekend, and summer courses; oversee conference use of campuses; provide outreach credit and non-credit programs to corporate and organizational sites; market the program; maintain an active research agenda; prepare and monitor (with signature authority) a $3.1M budget. Achievements Enrollment has increased significantly since I became the Division’s Director. The Division of Adult Learning (DAL) has returned substantial net revenue to the college each year (approximately $1,000,000 this year). The Noel-Levitz Adult Student Priorities Survey satisfaction results for DAL students place the program in the top echelon of private college adult degree programs. The DAL program won the ACHE Region VIII award as the Outstanding Credit Program for 1999, in part because of our innovation in taking credit classes to corporate sites and our work to enhance the connection between faculty and the community through our departmental advisory committees consisting of leaders in the professions. A much enhanced web presence has been accomplished, using the web site as a tool for students. An innovative degree program called Saturday FASTrack using online/hybrid courses was launched in 2002. The West Des Moines campus was opened in January 1999 and refurbished in 2005 with expanded classroom and computer lab space and a new campus in Ankeny opened in summer 2003. The innovative George Washington Carver Teacher Education Program admitted the first class to recruit teachers of color in November, 2003 in a unique collaboration with Iowa State University and the Des Moines Area Community College. This program received the Distinguished Credit Program Award from ACHE in 2005. Regular faculty dialogs with community college faculty have led to a rise in transfer students from the community college and exploration of a new degree program in forensic science. Simpson College has initiated the first graduate degree program in its history to support a transition to teaching for adults. Led this expansion of accreditation and participated actively in the college-wide 2005 re-accreditation process with NCA. 1989 – 1994 Director of Education for the Bakery, Confectionery, and Tobacco Workers International Union, AFL-CIO. Experience and achievements: Created the organization’s North American leadership development system, taught leadership development courses across the U. S. and Canada for local and national leaders and staff. Established a leadership development scholarship fund for leaders and managed all aspects of two scholarship funds. Developed video and written materials and provided training to enable a wide variety of staff and leaders to carry out further training. 1985 - 1988 Director of the Institute for Labor Studies for University of Missouri – Kansas City. Experience and achievements: Developed the Institute for Labor Studies as a collaborative project by the Metropolitan Community College (MCC) and the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC). Taught local union leaders in the Kansas City region. Recruited and maintained a strong advisory board to guide program development and marketing. Taught credit courses within the UMKC and MCC “PACE” adult degree programs and a graduate course for the UMKC College of Education. Presentations "Supporting adult student persistence". University Continuing Education Association regional conference. Evanston, IL. September, 2007 "Best practices in adult higher education for 2006: ACHE Program Award winners", Association for Continuing Higher Education international conference, Los Angeles, California, November, 2006. "The core of effective outreach: The well-organized advisory committee”, Association for Continuing Higher Education international conference, Madison, WI, November 2005. "Best practices in adult higher education for 2004: ACHE Program Award winners”, Association for Continuing Higher Education international conference, Newport, Rhode Island, November, 2004. "Best practices in adult higher education for 2003: ACHE Program Award winners”, Association for Continuing Higher Education international conference, Charlottesville, VA, November, 2003. "Emerging standards for accreditation of adult degree programs and prior learning assessment in North Central Association”, Association for Continuing Higher Education international conference, Birmingham, AL, November, 2002 Building commitment to adult students: Developing support”, Association for Continuing Higher Education international conference, Vancouver, BC, November, 2001 "The unsung heroes of adult student success: The academic advisor”, Association for Continuing Higher Education international conference, Vancouver, BC, November, 2001 “A new model: How to build continuing education business and improve the bottom line” , Association for Continuing Higher Education international conference, Vancouver, BC, November, 2001 “The role of research in promoting recognition of prior learning”. Conference title: Recognizing learning: Building Canada’s prosperity. Human Resource Development Canada, PLA Centre. October 28-31, 2001. Halifax, NS “Using research as ammunition to support PLAR”. Conference title: Recognizing learning: Building Canada’s prosperity. Human Resource Development Canada, PLA Centre, October 28-31, 2001. Halifax, Nova Scotia. “The role of the portfolio form of PLA in adult student persistence”, Council for Adult and Experiential Education national conference, Chicago, IL, November, 2000. “Enhancing adult student persistence”, Association for Continuing Higher Education international conference, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, October, 2000. “The use of departmental advisory committees to build continuing education programs”, Association for Continuing Higher Education Region VIII meeting, Des Moines, IA, 2000 “Building cooperative programs at corporate sites: Principal Financial and Bridgestone/Firestone Manufacturing”, Association for Continuing Higher Education Region VIII meeting, Des Moines, IA, 2000. “Improving marketing efforts through qualitative and quantitative research,” Association for Continuing Higher Education Region VIII meeting, Des Moines, IA, 2000. “Understanding adult student persistence”, Missouri Valley Adult Education Association annual conference, Overland Park, Kansas, 1997. Publications Pearson, W. (2005). “Assuring instructional effectiveness” in L. Bash (Ed.), Best Practices in Adult Learning. Bolton, MA: Anker. Pearson, W. 2004. “What is most important to adult students? Assuring instructional effectiveness.” ACHE Proceedings (The proceedings of the 66th annual meeting of the Association for Continuing Higher Education, Newport, Rhode Island). Pearson, W., Armstrong, G., Wright, J. 2004. “Let Us Break Bread Together: The George Washington Carver Teacher Education Program - A true collaboration”. ACHE Proceedings (The proceedings of the 66th annual meeting of the Association for Continuing Higher Education, Newport, Rhode Island). Pearson, W. 2004. Supporting adult student persistence to the baccalaureate degree. Journal of Continuing Higher Education, 52 (4). Pearson, W. and Bolen, J. 2001. “The unsung heroes of adult student success: The academic advisor”. ACHE Proceedings (The proceedings of the 63rd annual meeting of the Association for Continuing Higher Education, Vancouver, Canada, November 3-6, 2001). Pearson, W. 2001. “Building commitment to adult students: Developing support”. ACHE Proceedings (The proceedings of the 63rd annual meeting of the Association for Continuing Higher Education, Vancouver, Canada, November 3-6, 2001). Pearson, W. 2001. “Four arguments for PLA”. Journal of Continuing Higher Education. Fall, 2001 Pearson, W. 2001. “Enhancing adult student persistence: The relationship between prior learning assessment and persistence toward the baccalaureate degree”. CAEL Forum and News. Spring, 2001. Pearson, W. 2000. “Enhancing adult student persistence”. ACHE Proceedings (The proceedings of the 62nd annual meeting of the Association for Continuing Higher Education, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, October, 2000). In addition, I have been the author of a wide range of non-profit leadership education manuals, videos, and instructor manuals. Research Adult learner satisfaction with advising services (1997, 2003), college services (2000, 2002, 2004). Dissertation research on persistence and prior learning assessment (1998-2000). Focus group research on perceptions of Simpson College and marketing themes (1998). Cross-sectional marketing survey of adult students and prospective students (1998, 2003). Cross-sectional survey of adult learners (1996). Research interests: Prior learning assessment and adult student persistence, academic advising for adult students, administration of adult learning programs. Consulting Experience Emerson College (2005), Nebraska Wesleyan University (2001-2002), Columbia College (2000), University of Iowa (1994), and U.S. Agency for International Development (1995). Served as a member (1993-1994) of the federal court’s Desegregation Monitoring Committee to implement the desegregation and school improvement order for the Kansas City school district. Retail, Wholesale, Department Store Union (1994-2007), Transport Workers Union (1995-2008), George Meany Center for Labor Studies, AFL-CIO (1985-2004). Professional Associations Association for Continuing Higher Education (ACHE): Chair, Awards Committee (2001-2006); Program committee (2003, 2005); Treasurer and Awards Committee, ACHE Region VIII. District Compensation Consultant for the Unitarian Ujniversalist Association, Board of Trustees and Personnel Committee Chair at First Unitarian Church. Prior boards and committees: Antioch University Labor Studies Degree Program Advisory Board, Kansas City Labor Council Executive Board, Area Food Council Secretary-Treasurer, SEIU Central States Executive Board, University of Missouri Columbia Labor Studies Advisory Committee, Kansas City Mayor’s Committee on Capital Improvements, BCTWIU Task Force on Leadership Development.
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