AGS's Partner Arcadia University Inaugurates its 20th President

On April 28th, AGS's partner institution Arcadia University in the greater Philadelphia area (PA, USA) inaugurated its 20th President, Carl (Tobey) Oxhom III. As a member of what Arcadia calls its "global family", Eileen Servidio, President of the School of International Relations and Diplomacy at AGS, was one of the speakers during the ceremony, along with Michael A. Nutter, Mayor of Philadelphia, Bette Landman, President Emerita of Arcadia, Margaret Wright Steele, Chair of the Arcadia Board of Tustees, and representatives of the various constituencies of the university - students, alumni, faculty, trustees and staff.

Dr. Servidio declared to the President: "When I first met you Tobey, I was impressed by your energy, your modesty, and your humanity." She added: "My AGS colleagues here, those in Paris and myself are honored and enthusiastic about continuing to be part of the Arcadia family as it embarks on its next journey under your leadership."

See video of Eileen Servidio's greetings to Arcadia's President at inauguration on April 28

AGS's partnership with Arcadia includes many academic bridges between the two institutions. AGS's Master's in International Relations and Diplomacy and International MBA are both accredited in the U.S. as affiliated programs of Arcadia University. In addition to this core connexion, AGS and Arcadia have developed dual programs and faculty and student exchanges, notably with Arcadia's International Peace and Conflict Resolution department, as well as study abroad opportunities through Arcadia's College of Global Studies.

Carl (Tobey) Oxholm III took office as President of Arcadia last July. A native of Pennsylvania, Oxholm did his undergraduate studies in Political Science at Amherst College, MA, where he graduated summa cum laude. During his four years there, he was a choir singer in the Amherst College Glee Club, going on two world tours. Oxholm then went to Harvard University, where he graduated with a Juris Doctor degree from Harvard Law School (cum laude) and a Master's in Public Policy from the Kennedy School of Government. For the next 22 years, Tobey pursued a successful attorney's career in Philadelphia, including five years in the City Solicitor's Office and a large amount of pro bono legal work for the poor, receiving many awards along the way for exemplary public service, helping to create one of the best public interest, pro bono communities in the country, and rising to leadership in the Philadelphia Bar Association.

Tobey Oxholm went on to pursue an academic career when he joined Drexel University as its General Counsel in 2001. He rose quickly from Vice President and Secretary to the Board of Trustees, to Senior Vice President, to Executive Vice President, and played a major role in all main intiatives of the university during the following decade, including the acquisition of MCP Hahnemann University, the creation fo Drexel Law, and, as the Founding Dean, the design and operation of Drexel's West Coast Graduate Campus in Sacramento, CA.

Tobey and his wife Kimberly met at Harvard University and have two children, Geoff (Lafayette '04), who is pursuing his Ph.D. in Computer Science at Drexel University, and Ted (Yale '07), who is finishing his second year at Penn Law.

See more photos: