J. Michael Adams

President of the University

Widely known for his commitment to international education and to fostering cross-cultural understandings, Dr. J. Michael Adams joined Fairleigh Dickinson University as president on July 1, 1999. He has inspired a new vision and mission dedicated to preparing world citizens who are comfortable in environments of diversity, increasingly sophisticated technology and rapid change.

Under his leadership, Fairleigh Dickinson developed the first web-based university requirement in the world with a groundbreaking distance-learning program; established a new category of Global Virtual Faculty™ - scholars and professionals from around the world who contribute to the online-learning environment; created the United Nations Pathways program, which brings members of the diplomatic corps to campus for interaction with students; launched The PublicMind™, a survey research center; gained NGO status at the United Nations; and earned accreditation for the business school from AACSB International - Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. The University also established an institutional policy to foster academic entrepreneurs and revenue sharing; created the offices of Government Relations and Global Partnerships; and initiated $63 million in new construction.

Prior to joining FDU, Dr. Adams served 15 years as academic Dean of the Nesbitt College of Design Arts at Drexel University, in Philadelphia. There, he led the transformation of the college into one of the premier design schools in the United States.

He came to Drexel University from the State University of New York at Oswego, where he moved through the academic ranks to full Professor and earned the Chancellor's Award for Teaching Excellence. He also held positions as department head, director of research development and dean of the Alumni College, and served as a U.S. Congressional Fellow under Representative Carl Perkins.

Adams has also worked with many corporations, such as RR Donnelley & Sons Company and the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, providing expertise in strategic and organizational development, market position, differentiation and sales management. He has spoken to numerous U.S. associations as well as groups in China, Latin America, India and the United Kingdom.

The author of nine books, Dr. Adams' publications and research cover a wide variety of topics including print, publishing, communication and career development, as well as topics specific to the field of higher education. His most recent book, Coming of Age in a Globalized World: The Next Generation, was published in February 2006 by Kumarian Press. Co-authored with FDU's Director of Communications Angelo Carfagna, this book explores the impact of globalization and examines the case for world citizenship through global education.

Dr. Adams' numerous honors and awards include election as a Danforth Foundation Associate, for commitment to the Liberal Arts; the Soderstrom Society of Fellows, for lifetime contributions to print and publishing; and the New York State Award for Leadership in Sex Equity. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, which was founded in 1754 in London, England, to encourage development of a principled and prosperous society. In 2006, Dr. Adams was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Kyungnam University, Korea, in recognition of his international leadership in higher education.

Dr. Adams is active with many national and international education organizations. In 2008, he was named President-Elect of the International Association of University Presidents (IAUP). He is chair of the IAUP North American Council, and is an IAUP representative to the United Nations. He also serves on the UN/IAUP Commission on Disarmament Education, Conflict Resolution and Peace and is a National Council member of the United Nations Association of the United States of America. Dr. Adams is a member of the Steering Committee of the World Bank's Researchers Alliance for Development and the Editorial Advisory Board for International Educator, the flagship bimonthly magazine of NAFSA: Association of International Educators.

Areas of Special Expertise

• Global Education
• World Citizenship
• Career Development
• Leadership & Strategic Planning
• Print Communication

Formal Education

• Institute for Educational Management, 1997
  Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
• Doctor of Philosophy, 1976
  Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois
• Master of Science, 1972
  University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois
• Bachelor of Science, 1969
  Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois

Email address:president@fdu.edu