Wayland Baptist University Alaska Leader Takes on Global Duties
Wayland Baptist University
Don Ashley, the Executive Director of Alaska campuses for Wayland Baptist University (WBU), takes on a new title as the first Executive Director of Global Initiatives for the multi-state network of Christian colleges.
According to WBU President Bobby Hall, Ashley’s new duties include implementing Wayland’s programs around the globe while looking for new opportunities for the university to pursue in an international context.
“Dr. Ashley has served effectively for several years in a part-time capacity as Director of Global Projects in addition to his leadership role in Alaska, and it is now time to establish this office as a standalone entity,” Hall says.
Ashley has led WBU’s Anchorage and Fairbanks campuses since 2023. He was previously an academic advisor at the Anchorage campus from 1995 to 1997. After earning a doctorate, he returned in 2001 as a professor of Christian ministry and education. In addition to teaching, Ashley served as the Kenya program director from 2018 to 2021.
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“It is a joy and a privilege to become Wayland’s first Executive Director of Global Initiatives, an extension of the work we have done through the years,” Ashley says. “The Lord is opening doors of opportunity for Wayland around the globe, and it is an honor to be a part of what He is doing in Christ-centered higher education.”
For the past three years, Ashley has worked closely with WBU leadership to explore international initiatives, including two new graduate programs that will enroll their first students from India at Wayland’s San Antonio campus in March.
“Wayland is fortunate to have someone with his great experience and depth of knowledge,” Hall says. “We have worked together in an international context dating back to Wayland’s program in Kenya, which he successfully directed.”
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The track of oil and gas development in Alaska shows the footprints of bold companies and hard-working individuals who shaped the industry in the past and continue to innovate today. The May 2024 issue of Alaska Business explores that history while looking forward to new product development, the energy transition for the fishing fleet, and the ethics of AI tools in business.