CELEBRATING 80TH ANNIVERSARY, UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT JOHNSTOWN INAUGURATES PRESIDENT

Johnstown, PA · November 02, 2007 / PRNewswire / – Dr. Jem Spectar, Cameroon native, and president, University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown (UPJ), received the City Proclamation from Johnstown, Pennsylvania Mayor Thomas Trigona ('66), declaring UPJ Week and the celebration of its 80th anniversary.

Dr. Spectar was inaugurated as the fifth president at a ceremony Friday, September 28. Congratulatory greetings from world leaders were shared, featuring a video message from Nobel Peace Prize Winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu, stating, "I am confident that students from this institution under the guidance of Dr. Jem Spectar will make a substantial and positive difference to the world;" and letters from President of the Republic of Liberia, West Africa, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, and 42nd United States President William Jefferson Clinton.

With an outstanding leadership record, Dr. Spectar has been provost at Western Oregon University; associate provost of academic affairs at the University of Scranton; director of studies at Princeton University; and assistant dean of students at the University of La Verne.

Dr. Spectar received his BA in international studies from the University of La Verne; the MBA from Frostburg State University; the MA from The George Washington University; the JD from the University of Maryland Law School; and the MA in politics and the PhD in political science from Claremont Graduate University. Dr. Spectar has published numerous articles on international law and made presentations focusing on the world's disadvantaged, international human rights, and global health issues.

UPJ is a vital knowledge center defining excellence and a foremost contributor to the area's educational, social, cultural, and economic environment through: excellent faculty teaching, scholarship, and service, as well as enriching faculty-student mentorships and collaborations in scholarship, research, and creative activity; operating as a top employer and key partner in shaping the economic future with an annual impact exceeding $60 million; engaging the community through exceptional volunteerism by faculty, staff, and students; expanding the workforce capacity by linking theory to practice through experiences such as internships and service learning projects; exceeding the national averages of student graduation and retention rates of similar institutions; a tradition of athletic excellence, with nationally recognized and award-winning programs; 17,000 alumni making a difference throughout the community and world; and by growing partnerships with businesses in areas such as healthcare, education, commerce, technology, and the arts. www.upj.pitt.edu