William S. Howe III, PhD

"I was delightfully surprised in a number of ways," noted Howe. "I had no idea how diverse Thomas Edison State College students are in their demographic makeup, in the types of work they do, in their dispersed geographical locations – which span the globe; in their ages, in their cultures and in their incredibly rich ways of thinking. I had no idea how close one could feel to the mentoring/learning experience that is conducted at a 'distance.'  I reside in San Diego, Calif., and have interacted with students from all over the world."

Howe mentors graduate courses Leadership and Management (ORG-502) and Leading Change (LCO-610); capstone courses in liberal studies and management, undergraduate Prior Learning Assessment courses and Foundations of Leadership (LDR-305). He also collaborates with instructional design staff and fellow mentors on course content and serves as associate editor of the College’s International Leadership Journal.

"Thomas Edison State College students are returning to education after years of being away and are extraordinarily supportive of each other in getting back to learning and in getting up to speed with the technology behind course delivery."

Howe earned a PhD in education and an MA in sociology from Stanford University. He also earned an EdM in education with a concentration on administration, planning and policy analysis from Harvard University, an MA in English from the University of Massachusetts, and a BA in English from Northwestern University.

Fueled by a succession of appointments – beginning with his days as a research assistant at Stanford University, to his management of leadership institutes; positions as a college counselor, professor, chair; and most recently, as the dean of academic programs at California International Business University in San Diego – Howe brings a wealth of experience in both organizational and educational contexts to his role at Thomas Edison State College.