In a ceremony hosted by Director Mark Wilkins, Perry Center faculty and staff said farewell to Visiting Professor Walter Earle. As part of a distinguished career in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Mr. Earle joined the Perry Center faculty in July 2014 for a two-year detail. Having served in multiple senior positions within OSD Policy, including time as Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Professor Earle lent his expertise on regional security cooperation and the US policymaking process to the development and delivery of Perry Center academic programming.
Walter Earle (left), with Director Wilkins
When asked his highlight of working at the Perry Center, Professor Earle responded, “working on the hemispheric fora. It is a medium for focusing on timely issues in which experts can be found. It is exciting!” Over the course of two years, Professor Earle moderated Hemispheric Forum discussions on such varied topics as Caribbean energy security, evolving threats in Central America, and the upcoming Conference of the Defense Ministers of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago. Professor Earle commented that another highlight of his time at the Perry Center was the courses he facilitated. “The audience of students from the region are fascinating—engaging in discussion and interacting with one another,” he said.
Asked how working at the Perry Center changed his perspective, Professor Earle talked about a stronger grasp on the relationship among academia, policy, and government. “I got a chance to participate in the interface between all three, and because of that, I know I made the right choice,” remarked Professor Earle during the interview.
Dr. Scott Tollefson, Dean of Academic Affairs at the Perry Center, praised Professor Earle for the energy and knowledge that he brought to the Center. Perry Center Director Mark Wilkins honored Professor Earle as a Distinguished Member Emeritus of the Perry Center in recognition of his contributions over two years on the faculty. Mr. Earle will return to the Office of the Secretary of Defense. The Perry Center looks forward to collaborating with him in the future.
