Roger Sublett

It is a pleasure to introduce Honorary Board Member, Roger H. Sublett, Ph.D., fifth President of Union Institute & University, the first university without walls, created in 1964. The Institute, originating from a ten university consortium, now has over 18,000 graduates world-wide and offers seminars and online learning with a focus on adult learners.

Previous to being named to his current position as President in April, 2003, Dr. Sublett served Union Institute & University as acting president, provost, chief operating officer, and interim vice president for national undergraduate programs. Before joining Union Institute & University in May, 2001, Dr. Sublett served as the Director of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s Kellogg National Fellowship/Leadership Program and as Program Director in Higher Education and Leadership at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Battle Creek, Michigan. He describes the W.K. Kellogg Foundation as a place with a world-class vision and commitment to people and emphasizes that, throughout his life, his greatest satisfaction has been to serve people in whatever capacity. Asked what has proven most satisfying about his career, Dr. Sublett quips, “It’s not over yet!”

Before joining the Kellogg Foundation in 1989, Dr. Sublet served as Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs at the University of Evansville (Indiana) and also as Dean of the College of Graduate and Continuing Studies, and Director of Special Programs in the College of Alternative Programs.

Dr. Sublett’s achievements testify to his enthusiasm for sharing his talents and ideas. He has authored, co-authored, or edited four books on the operation and lessons learned through the Kellogg Foundation which include his latest, Leading from the Heart.

Dr. Sublett serves on the President’s Forum of the American Council on Education and was recently named Chair of the Commission on Lifelong Learning of that organization. He has served as Executive Vice President for the Association for Continuing Higher Education and as President of the Coalition for Adult Education Organizations. He is a senior fellow in the James McGregor Burns Academy of Leadership, University of Maryland, and was appointed a senior scholar at the Center for Ethical Leadership, Seattle, Washington. He has earned B.S.E. and M.A. degrees from the University of Arkansas and a Ph.D. in American History from Tulane University in New Orleans.

Dr. Sublett and his wife, Cynthia, are Suzuki parents of three girls, Erin, Lori and Juli, all of whom still play, though not professionally. He believes that the Suzuki method has had a great impact on his children, not only in the music aspect, but also in providing critical life skills through an environment of success that builds confidence and a willingness to take a risk. Further, Dr. Sublett credits the parent/student/child focus, group activities, and group support inherent in the method as important criteria for building a sense of the value of community. He sums up his Suzuki experience as follows:

The Suzuki memories are some of our most pleasant ones in parenting our young children, and we are anxiously awaiting the birth of our first grandchild to begin the second generation of Suzuki students in our family. We express our deep appreciation and extend the highest respect to all of our Suzuki teachers over the years. You were all GREAT!”