Bob Cushman, vice president for academic administration at Walla Walla University, has accepted the position of president of Pacific Union College. Cushman has served as vice president at WWU since 2012. He will be the 23rd president of PUC in the institution’s 135-year history. He will succeed Eric Anderson, who has served as PUC’s president since January 2017.
"We have greatly appreciated Dr. Cushman’s sincere and thoughtful approach to supporting academic rigor at WWU. He has worked with the schools and departments to refine curriculum in order to serve our students as they effectively prepare for life after graduation and has hired faculty that will serve WWU well into the future,” says WWU President John McVay.
During his five years as vice president, Cushman has led the academic program, hiring nearly 40 faculty members and implementing a new student evaluation process. Cushman, a 1979 biology graduate of WWU, returned to WWU with his wife, Judy, in 2008 where he served as the chair for the Department of Biological Sciences and professor of paleobiology, before stepping into his role as vice president for academic administration. Prior to his service at WWU, Cushman was the chair of the Department of Earth and Biological Sciences at Loma Linda University. He has more than 26 years of experience as a researcher, author, professor, academic dean, senior vice president, and chief academic officer. He has produced dozens of publications covering a wide breadth of geological topics.
“I have a deep sense of appreciation for the support and partnership of the senior leadership at WWU,” says Cushman. “Judy and I will always value the relationships we’ve built here. We have nothing but love and respect for our colleagues at WWU. Walla Walla is an amazing place. It’s a real family and community, and we will miss it dearly.”
Cushman will officially assume office at PUC on July 1. “Judy and I have been committed to God’s will. We were praying for discernment and it appears to us in this moment that God is calling us to serve PUC.”
Read the Pacific Union College news release about Cushman's transition at puc.edu.
Posted May 11, 2017
