Friends of Forman is pleased to share with you that the Forman Christian College Board of Directors and Board of Governors voted to nominate Dr. Jonathan Addleton to the Governor of the Punjab as the next rector of Forman Christian College. The plans are for Jonathan and his wife, Fiona, to move to Pakistan in August 2020 and be installed as rector in November.
Dr. Addleton has extensive international experience working as a USAID officer in 10 different countries (including Pakistan twice.) From 2009-2012 he served as the US Ambassador to Mongolia. Raised and educated in Pakistan, Ambassador Addleton’s parents were missionaries in the Sindh province.
He earned his undergraduate degree in journalism from Northwestern University and his Masters and Ph.D. at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. He also had a fellowship to study Urdu through the U.C. Berkeley language program. In 2007 he was the USAID Mission Director to Pakistan directing the US effort for earthquake reconstruction.
He then served as the USAID representative to the European Union coordinating USAID programs and policies worldwide with members of the EU. In 2012-13 he was the Senior Civilian Representative to Southern Afghanistan. Until recently he served as an adjunct lecturer in the Department of International and Global Studies at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia, while working as the part-time Executive Director of the American Center for Mongolian Studies.
Since Dr. Tebbe shared with the Forman Board his wish to retire in 2020, the Forman Board of Directors invited Friends of Forman to help them find a suitable candidate to lead Forman into the future. Dr. Tebbe says of Dr. Addleton, “I came to know Dr. Addleton briefly when he was a young diplomat. His interest in academic matters, his energy, his ability to relate well to people, and to lead were all clearly evident. These and other qualities will be wonderful assets to Forman Christian College.”
Jim and Beth Tebbe will continue to serve at Forman Christian College until November 2020, when they will return to their home in Wheaton, IL.
“Our original rector candidate was denied a Pakistani visa. We initiated a worldwide search for another suitable candidate. Dr. Addleton was available for consideration for this important position,” said Friends Executive Director Rev. Sam Schreiner. “We believe he will continue to build upon the great work done by Dr. Armacost and Dr. Tebbe to move Forman Christian College towards excellence, effectively serving the educational needs of the next generation of Pakistan’s leaders. We look forward to being partners with Forman as they continue to fulfill their motto ‘by love serve one another.’”
Upon learning of Dr. Addleton’s candidacy, Dr. Peter Armacost, who was rector of the college right after denationalization said,
“I am thrilled by the news that Jonathan Addleton will be nominated to be the next rector of Forman Christian College. He has been a friend of FCCU for many years and was certainly helpful to me during his time as the USAID Mission Director in Pakistan. His unique combination of service as a diplomat, journalist, author, and college teacher prepare him well for his new responsibilities as rector of FCC.”
Dr. Addleton’s wife, Fiona, worked in the British School in Islamabad in the 1980s. They have traveled the world together, raising their three children – Iain, Cameron, and Catriona.