Webster University's Debbie Psihountas Named American Council on Education (ACE) Fellow

ST. LOUIS, March 29, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Webster University Provost and Senior Vice President Julian Schuster today announced that Dr. Debbie Psihountas, associate professor of finance in the University's George Herbert Walker School of Business & Technology, has been named an ACE Fellow for academic year 2012-2013. Dr. Psihountas is one of only 57 people throughout U.S. higher education chosen for this honor.

"We celebrate Debbie's achievement and see her selection for one of the highest awards in academics as yet another example of Webster's deliberate path toward achieving global academic and operational excellence," Dr. Schuster said upon making the announcement. "External approval of our faculty like this from ACE validates our approach and commitment to attracting, retaining and developing the best class of faculty in the world.  It is another living testimony to the high quality of our programs, our students and our faculty."

ACE is the major coordinating body for all of the nation's higher education institutions. The ACE Fellows Program strengthens American higher education by identifying, then preparing, promising senior faculty and administrators like Dr. Psihountas for advanced positions in college and university administration. Of the more than 1,700 participants in the first 47 years of the program, more than 300 have become chief executive officers and more than 1,100 have become provosts, vice presidents or deans. 

Dr. Psihountas joined Webster University in August 2001 and has served as chair of the business department, in addition to serving as acting chair of business/management programs for Webster's campus in Geneva, Switzerland. She holds a bachelor's degree in International Business, an MBA (Quantitative Analysis) and a Ph.D. in Finance from the University of Cincinnati. Dr. Psihountas has been recognized as one of St. Louis' Most Inclusive Leaders in 2009, and as a Woman of Achievement by the University of Missouri-St. Louis Hellenic Spirit Foundation.

As an ACE Fellow, Dr. Psihountas will focus on an issue of concern to the nominating institution while spending the next academic year working with a college or university president and other senior officers at a host institution. The ACE Fellows Program combines retreats, interactive learning opportunities, campus visits and placement at another higher education institution to condense years of on-the-job experience and skills development into a single semester or year.

"I'm looking forward to studying leadership within the higher education space, and learning about higher education from both the 'back office' as well as 'view from the top' perspectives," said Dr. Psihountas. "I'm honored to join the ACE Fellows 2012-2013 class and I look forward to bringing back to Webster all I learn during my fellowship."

"This opportunity demonstrates what is possible when a faculty member is dedicated to continuous improvement and strives to reach their potential," said Dr. Benjamin Ola. Akande, dean of the George Herbert Walker School of Business & Technology. "Provost Schuster played a critical role in supporting Dr. Psihountas' application.  It is this commitment to faculty excellence that has brought this prestigious ACE Fellowship to the Walker School."

About Webster University

With its home campus in St. Louis, Webster University (www.webster.edu) is the only Tier 1, private, non-profit U.S.-based university providing a network of international residential campuses.  Founded in 1915, Webster University's campus network today includes metropolitan, military and corporate locations around the world, as well as traditional campuses in Asia, Europe and North America. The university is committed to delivering high-quality learning experiences that transform students for global citizenship and individual excellence.

About ACE

Founded in 1918, ACE represents more than 1,600 college and university presidents, and more than 200 related associations, nationwide. It provides leadership on key higher education issues and influences public policy through advocacy. For more information, please visit www.acenet.edu or follow ACE on Twitter @ACEducation.

SOURCE Webster University

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