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Pampel Named to Lead Honors Program

04/27/2018

Robert Pampel, Ph.D., has been appointed as director of the Honors Program by University Provost Nancy Brickhouse, Ph.D. His appointment begins on Tuesday, May 1.

Robert Pampel, Ph.D.

In his new role, Pampel will guide the program’s strategic development in anticipation of its 80th anniversary celebration this fall.  This includes creating stronger alumni relationships, collaborating with academic units and the University Core Curriculum Committee, and continuing to improve outcomes assessment of the Program. 

His appointment is the result of a year-long process coordinated by Associate Provost Rob Wood, Ph.D., with recommendations from a faculty search and interview committee.

Pampel joined the Honors Program in July 2014 as assistant director after serving in various leadership roles in Webster University’s enrollment management division. 

During his time at SLU he has initiated several projects to enhance the data integrity of the program, including tracking enrollment trends, auditing student academic progress, and creating common evaluation metrics for prospective students.  He has also pioneered several mission-driven changes to the program’s slate of experiential learning opportunities, such as the Honors Study Abroad course, the Teaching Assistantship experience, and the Professional Development and Vocational Discernment workshop series. He also teaches a first-year Crossroads course with the Honors Learning Community.  He has served as the interim director of the program since June 2017.

Pampel earned his bachelor’s degree from Valparaiso University, where he was a Scholar in Christ College, at its Honors College.  He later earned his master’s degree in international relations from Webster University, where his research focused on the relationship between the education of foreign elites and U.S. soft power. He completed his doctorate in higher education administration at SLU. His dissertation focused on the curricular structure and academic practices of honors programs at Jesuit colleges and universities. He currently serves on the national research committee for the National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC), has published in the Journal of the NCHC, and will author a chapter in the NCHC’s upcoming monograph on Internationalizing Honors.