Thomas Krise, PhD., is the 11th president of the University of Guam and has been in office for little over a month.
Although Krise has no political or personal connection to Guam, he is no stranger to island issues.
Krise went to high school in the U.S. Virgin Islands, studied Caribbean culture and history, and even taught in Jamaica.
Krise commended UOG for not only serving Guam, but all of Micronesia.
“It’s unlike a university anywhere in the United States. You have all these people from different religions, ethnic groups, and histories. It’s really quite remarkable.”
His three-pillar plan for the University’s future involve focusing on people, island, and leadership.
Krise said that he will continue to develop programs that focus on Guam and Micronesia such as the Micronesia Area Resource Center and Chamorro studies.
His second pillar would target the island itself, which would involve tackling local environmental issues with the Center for Island Sustainability and the Water and Environmental Research Institute.
As for leadership, Krise wants to further cultivate leadership programs within the UOG School of Business and Public Administration and the nursing program.
“I think there’s great potential in outreach to the community in ways of continuing education, extension services, and partnerships,” Krise said. “I think there’s tremendous opportunity to build on what is already very good and expand that.”
