College of Professional and Continuing Studies graduate Kenneth Strother Jr., was named associate vice president for public safety at Princeton University on June 1. He had previously served as director of operations in public safety since January 2019, managing the day-to-day operations of the department and serving as second-in-command.
“Community caretaking is our mission at public safety,” he said. “I am honored and excited that I can continue my service to the campus community in this new role.”
Strother earned a master’s degree in criminal justice as well as a graduate certificate in restorative justice administration while at OU. He holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Thomas Edison State University and a graduate certificate from the New Jersey Certified Public Manager Program.
Strother is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and serves on the executive board of the New Jersey chapter of the FBI National Academy Associates as the immediate past president. He is also a member of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators. Prior to serving at Princeton, Strother had garnered more than 25 years of experience as a member of the Willingboro Township (New Jersey) Police Department and Penn State University Police.
Ranked as a 12th Best Online Program for 2021 by U.S. News & World Report, OU’s Master of Science in Criminal Justice is a customizable degree program designed to provide law enforcement professionals with the front-line leadership, ethics and decision-making skills needed to excel in a field that has grown more complex than ever before. Students work with criminal justice experts from across the nation to not only learn improve their communication, analytical thinking and problem-solving skills, but also gain insight into effectively engaging with diverse audiences and developing positive public relationships.
The graduate certificate in Restorative Justice Administration emphasizes community-oriented approaches to crime prevention and restoration, in addition to victim and offender services, as well as program and project development.
For more information about the criminal justice graduate program or to learn about additional educational opportunities for working adults, visit pacs.ou.edu.
