Southern Wesleyan University recently named Jeannie Trudel as dean of the School of Business.
Trudel arrives at Southern Wesleyan from Indiana Wesleyan University, where she was the associate vice president for strategic initiatives in the College of Adult Professional Studies. She has also served as regional dean and was a full time business faculty member at Indiana Wesleyan.
Her experience includes organizational development work and training for corporate and non-profit organizations. Formerly a practicing attorney in Australia, Trudel served as court-appointed/approved mediator in Los Angeles, Boston, and Louisville.
Trudel earned her bachelor of economics degree and a law degree at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. She also earned a master’s degree in negotiation and conflict management from California State University, as well as a Ph.D. in organizational development from the University of Louisville.
When she moved to the United States from Australia, Trudel became interested in mediation because of the crossover between law and the corporate world. Specifically, her interest was in the issue of conflict management within business settings. When she became involved in training and coaching people as a mediator, Trudel developed a passion for education.
“When the opportunity came to work in higher education I felt I could make a difference,” Trudel said. She wants to see business majors fulfill their God-given potential and add value to their employers. She envisions the business program at SWU as one that makes positive contributions to an increasingly diverse economy.