Mr. Michael P. Lambert, Executive Director of the Distance Education and Training Council, was presented with a Litterarum Humaniorum Doctor, Honoris Causa from Harrison Middleton University at a special event in January.
The presentation was given by Dr. David Curd, President of Harrison Middleton University, who issued the following Citation for the Degree:
Michael P. Lambert earned a Bachelor of Science in English Education and a Master of Arts in English Literature from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, a Master of Business Administration from George Mason University, and a Certificate in English History from the University of Cambridge.
Mr. Lambert’s contributions to distance education began in 1970 as a Lieutenant responsible for distance study course development at the United States Army Quartermaster School in Fort Lee, Virginia. Upon completion of service with the United States Army Reserve, Mr. Lambert joined the National Home Study Council (NHSC) in 1972 as an accrediting program coordinator and was promoted to Assistant Director in 1976 and Associate Director in 1987. In 1992, Mr. Lambert was elected Executive Director at NHSC. In 1994, under Mr. Lambert’s leadership, the National Home Study Council, founded in 1926, changed its name to the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC), which has accredited many distance learning institutions and educated more than 135 million Americans. Looking back, this one decision put the Council on track for preeminence in distance education. In 1997, following the name change, DETC instituted the Delta Epsilon Tau International Honor Society to recognize the achievements of students who study at a distance. In 2003, DETC received Council on Higher Education Accreditation recognition. The United States Department of Education recognized DETC’s work in the professional doctoral degree area since 2007. Then in 2010, DETC received approval from the Council on Higher Education Accreditation to expand its scope of recognition to include professional doctoral degrees. This new scope allowed for Harrison Middleton University to extend its student-driven curriculum to offer a Doctor of Education and Doctor of Arts degree using the Great Books of the Western World as the primary texts and designed by the student in collaboration with an instructional team through distance education. Since assuming the role of Executive Director at DETC, Mr. Lambert has facilitated many significant strides for the Council and distance learning.
Through the years, Mr. Lambert has served on more than four hundred fifty accreditation review committees in eight countries. Mr. Lambert is nationally and internationally regarded as a top expert in the area of voluntary accreditation and is considered to be a key national leader and technical expert in distance learning. He has been an advocate for peer-review accreditation stating, “When you have hot competition, they have to compete on more than just price, they have to compete on quality, service, and features.” He has elevated DETC accreditation within the education field to ensure that its integrity and reputation represents the highest quality a student can expect to receive from a DETC accredited institution. Not only has Mr. Lambert opened up various avenues for distance learning, but he has always focused on the needs of the student. He is “passionate about consumer protection,” which allows students and individuals involved with DETC to expect the highest standards from the organization and its accredited institutions.
Mr. Lambert has authored and co-authored more than five dozen publications and is widely published in academic journals. He has addressed audiences in the United States, Canada, Costa Rica, England, Ireland, Germany, Norway, Scotland, and South Africa. He is frequently called upon to consult with federal, state, and foreign governments, universities, corporations, and trade associations about distance education. His writing, speaking, and consulting have shaped national debate defining quality in distance education.
Additionally, Mr. Lambert serves on various advisory boards, including the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) Committee on Recognition, the CHEA International Commission, the American Council on Education (ACE) Commission on Lifelong Learning, and Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC), where he is the current chair. Mr. Lambert’s awards include the United States Army Commendation Medal, the DETC Distinguished Recognition Award, the DETC Distinguished Service Award, the Indiana University of Pennsylvania Distinguished Alumnus Award, and the European Association for Distance Learning’s “Roll of Honour” for his lifetime contributions to the field.
Mr. Lambert’s devotion and steadfastness to providing quality distance education for students and furthering the attributes of peer accreditation for institutions world-wide continues to this day.
