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Craddock to Lead Center for Civic Engagement and Democracy

By June 1, 2009December 17th, 2021No Comments

6/1/09

Maryville University has announced the appointment of Alden Craddock, PhD, as associate vice president and director for Maryville’s new Center for Civic Engagement and Democracy.

“The addition of Dr. Craddock to our faculty is a real coup for Maryville University,” said President Mark Lombardi, PhD. “He is nationally and internationally recognized as a leader in civic engagement and democracy education.”

Craddock previously served as associate professor and director of the International Democratic Education Institute at Bowling Green State University. To promote democracy by collaborating worldwide with teachers of civic education, Craddock has raised more than $3 million in federal and private funding. The funds helped to establish programs between U.S. educators and educators in countries such as Morocco, Poland, Ukraine and South Africa.

When he assumes his duties, Craddock will bring immediate international partnerships to campus. Craddock is a founding member of Civitas International, a consortium of civic educators located throughout the world, including in many emerging democracies. He commended Maryville’s long-standing tradition of engaging students and faculty in community partnerships with schools, public policy makers and businesses.

“The Center for Civic Engagement at Maryville will honor already existing programs and build new ones,” he said. “Collaboration energizes people to come up with new solutions, to reengage, to try new things and experience lots of different perspectives. I want to both continue the international partnerships and also begin some new domestic programs.”

Craddock will also serve as an associate professor in Maryville’s School of Education beginning with the Fall 2009 semester.

“Dr. Craddock adds a great deal of value to our School of Education and its outreach programming,” said Mary Ellen Finch, vice president for Academic Affairs. “We are particularly enthusiastic about the work he will do with our partner schools and community.”

Craddock has also been the director of both the High School Internship Program at the John Glenn Institute and the Civic Education Program in the Mershon Center of The Ohio State University. He earned his doctoral and master’s degrees in political science from The Ohio State University and an undergraduate degree in political science from Wright State University.

Maryville University, founded in 1872, is a four-year, private university located in west St. Louis County. Ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of America’s Best Colleges in the Masters-Midwest category, Maryville University students may choose from 50 academic programs, including degrees at the bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels. Among recent graduates, 94 percent are employed or attending graduate school. More than 15,000 Maryville alumni work and live in the St. Louis region.

Catherine Boelhauf