Houston, Texas provided the venue for a hot ACBSP Conference 2019 and with it the opportunity to unveil the Peregrine Global Foundation to conference attendees during the Impact Session. The Foundation is a new initiative by Peregrine Global Services, which also includes Peregrine Academic Services, Peregrine Leadership Institute, and Peregrine Pathways.
Those in attendance at the Annual Conference were provided insights regarding the Peregrine Global Foundation and how it can help make our world a better place. The Foundation was formed in 2018 as a charitable, non-profit, 501(c)(3) corporation out of a desire by Dr. Olin Oedekoven and Laurel Vicklund to give more to those in need. Through their worldwide experiences with Peregrine Academic Services and Peregrine Leadership Institute, they saw how important it is to develop leaders who possess the right skills and values-based approaches to solving problems as well as the need to continually improve the delivery of quality higher education to those who want to learn.
Earlier in 2019, the Peregrine companies were rebranded under the parent organization of Peregrine Global Services as they now have over 500 client institutions and organizations located in 45 countries. The Global Services name better describes what they do and will take Peregrine into the next decade as they strive to provide services in the form of thoughtful solutions to help solve their clients’ problems.
While the Foundation is a separate and independent entity to Peregrine Global Services, they do share similar missions, visions, and values with regard to caring for those who want to make the world a better place. The Foundation is focused on those who need help in areas related to advancing quality higher education and developing values-based leaders.
Prior to ACBSP Conference 2019, plans were made to support the efforts of the Houston Independent School District as the 2019 #ACBSP4Change recipient. The Houston Independent School District (HISD) is the largest district in Texas and the seventh largest in the U.S., serving 215,000 students and 215 campuses.
The result was to have ACBSP and the Peregrine Global Foundation combine resources to help support HISD in their worthwhile initiative. Joining ACBSP and the Peregrine Global Foundation for the presentation was Rose Adams, who is the Senior Manager of Community Partnerships and HISD Strategic Partnerships in the Office of Development.
During the event, Dr. Alejandro Cheyne, ACBSP Board Chair 2019-20, introduced Dr. Olin Oedekoven, President and CEO of Peregrine Global Services, Peregrine Academic Services, and Peregrine Leadership Institute, who gave praise to the #ACBSP4Change program and was proud to be able to support such a great program. Joining Dr. Cheyne and Dr. Oedekoven on stage was Dave Sutter, Executive Director of the Peregrine Global Foundation, and Michelle Meyer, Chair of the ACBSP Marketing Committee, which oversees the #ACBSP4Change program. Together, the group presented Ms. Adams with a check in the amount of $5,000, which will be used for expansion of their innovative programs to grow students to be future leaders.
After the Impact presentation, Dr. Oedekoven was asked to further explain his thoughts on starting the Foundation. “We are looking for ways to fill voids that currently aren’t being filled by other resources and grants,” Oedekoven explained. “We know that there are numerous opportunities to participate in, and we would like to hear about projects that promote leadership and quality higher education and would welcome the opportunity to partner with other organizations who share our values in supporting such endeavors.” He went on to say: “Of course, we will gladly accept financial donations to promote the Foundation; however, it is building the relationships that matter most to us. Anyone who is interested in learning more can contact the Foundation by visiting our new website at www.PeregrineGlobalFoundation.org.”
The Peregrine Global Foundation is currently involved in several projects including leadership development for improving security cooperation within the Black Sea region in partnership with Harvard University. Locally, the Foundation supports Gillette College with funding for faculty-led, community-based business research and entrepreneur development. Similar projects are under consideration across the U.S. and throughout the world.
Dr. Olin Oedekoven is President & CEO of Peregrine Global Services. He has over 30 years of senior leadership, education, and academic experience through service in both the public and private sectors. His vision created Peregrine Academic Services when he and his colleagues realized that a serious gap existed between the requirements for direct assessment and the tools that were available at the time.
Dave Sutter is the Executive Director and Vice President of the Peregrine Global Foundation. He is a professional engineer who holds several degrees, licenses, and credentials from various universities and professional development programs. Dave is passionate about helping people to grow as leaders and improving educational opportunities around the world.
Laurel Vicklund is President of the Board of Directors for the Peregrine Global Foundation and co-owner of Peregrine Leadership Institute and Peregrine Academic Services. She is a professional environmental scientist who has received national awards for her work in protecting wildlife and the environment. Laurel is deeply driven to make a difference in both education and environmental causes around the world.
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