Evergreen President Dr. Les Purce Re-Elected to NAIA Council of Presidents

PORTLAND, Ore. – Dr. Thomas L. (Les) Purce, president of The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Wash., has been re-elected as the Cascade Collegiate Conference’s representative to the NAIA’s Council of Presidents, the national office announced.

Dr. Purce, who is currently completing a three-year term which began in 2006, will begin his second three-year term Jan. 1, 2009.

The Council of Presidents is the chief governing body of the NAIA, and is responsible for all fiscal matters of the organization, strategic direction, membership, and operational policies put into action by the association’s various governing councils and committees.

Dr. Purce has served as president of Evergreen since July 2000.

The Cascade Collegiate Conference is comprised of 11 institutions in Oregon, Washington and Idaho. Members include Cascade College, The College of Idaho, Concordia University, Corban College, Eastern Oregon University, The Evergreen State College, Northwest University, Northwest Christian College, Oregon Institute of Technology, Southern Oregon University, and Warner Pacific College.

The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) is the governing body for athletics programs at its nearly 300 colleges and universities throughout the United States and Canada. The long-held mission of the NAIA is to promote the education and development of well-rounded students and productive citizens through intercollegiate athletics. The association offers equitable access and opportunities for participation in its 23 national championship events held annually throughout the country.

Today, the NAIA strengthens its commitment to student-athletes and strives to enrich their college experience by supporting academic achievement and character development. NAIA Champions of Character is the association’s innovative flagship program designed to instill character values in student-athletes, coaches and youth in the communities it serves.