Curtis Peters, professor emeritus of philosophy at Indiana University Southeast, and his wife, Pam, have always had a passion for international travel and learning.

In 1969, Curtis received a graduate scholarship to study in the German Academic Exchange Service, one of the largest funding organizations in the world for the international exchange of students and researchers. After studying in Heidelberg, Germany, Curtis returned home with an experience that forever changed him.

Curtis had been a professor at Concordia Senior College in Fort Wayne, a pre-seminary college that closed in 1977. He began seeking new opportunities. Little did he know, IU Southeast would offer him experiences of a lifetime and the chance to have a positive impact on the lives of students.

From 1976 to 2006, Curtis served in a variety of roles at IU Southeast including, the executive of the faculty senate, as division chair and dean of humanities (now Arts and Letters) and as the first director of the First-Year Seminar program. In 2012, he came out of retirement to be the acting vice chancellor of academic affairs. His dedication to teaching resulted in an Outstanding Teacher Award from IU Southeast.

After coming to IU Southeast, Curtis also became very involved in the Indiana University overseas study program, encouraging all of his students to study abroad. In 1982, he was selected as the overseas study director in Hamburg, Germany. The Peters and their three children lived in Hamburg for a year, helping about 24 students in their studies.