Dr. Grover Proctor is with Shan Yudan who graduated in 2005 with a Northwood double major BBA in management/computer information management. Shan now works for Jiangsu Boxi Household Appliances Co., Inc.

A new Chinese college has named a Northwood University dean as its co-founder, recognizing the work he has done to launch the college, achieve high academic standards, and establish its Western academic credentials.

Dr. Grover B. Proctor, Jr., Northwood Associate Dean of Academic Administration, began Northwood's partnership with Jilin University-Lambton College (JLU-Lambton) in 1999. Dr. Proctor and three administrators from other schools in the partnership will be honored at ceremonies in China this spring. The other partner schools are Lambton College of Sarnia, Ontario; College of the North Atlantic and Memorial University, both of St. John's, Newfoundland. Dr. Robert W. Serum, Vice President of Academics and International Programs, praised Dr. Proctor for "almost single-handedly creating our relationships in the Peoples Republic of China (PRC)."

JLU-Lambton's president, Li Shujia, praised Dr. Proctor's leadership. "With your wisdom and contribution, Jilin University-Lambton College has become a model of Sino-Foreign cooperative education, achieving a high standing in society and an even greater standing with the Ministry of Education of China," he said.

Dr. Proctor received Northwood's annual Innovation Award in 2005 for his work in developing the university's educational partnerships in China. At that time, Northwood President Dr. David E. Fry praised Dr. Proctor's "innovative, collaborative, and mission-driven approach to furthering the global context of the university's philosophy." He earned an Ed.D. from Wayne State University, an M.A. from Central Michigan University, and a B.A. from the University of North Carolina.

Teaching the Market Economy
At JLU-Lambton, Chinese students take business classes, taught by instructors, culminating in a Northwood bachelor's degree in business. The first graduating class, in 2004, had 64 students. This summer, almost 300 students are expected to graduate from Northwood's successful China programs.

Dr. Proctor, who is delighted at being named a co-founder, recalls the early negotiations. "When the first Chinese delegation visited Northwood in 1999, we clearly expressed our commitment to the market economy," said Dr. Proctor. "They emphasized that Northwood's philosophy was one of the things that attracted them to the school. We've been teaching free markets and free enterprise in China ever since."

Chinese students must meet the same academic performance and curriculum requirements as those on Northwood's three U.S. campuses. In addition to students who stay in China for all four years of their education, some go to one of the Canadian schools for their junior year and attend Northwood their senior year to finish their coursework.

Many universities now work internationally but Northwood was among the first to develop accredited programs, building on 35 years of global experience. The school now has two programs in China and two others in Montreux, Switzerland, and Colombo, Sri Lanka. Full-time faculty have periodic opportunities to teach students in the overseas programs.