The first endowed chair at LSU in Shreveport was made possible by the philanthropy of a local family whose gift to perpetuate the mission of American Studies was matched by state funds.

In 1999, Dr. Pederson was named to the American Studies Chair in Liberal Arts, the first endowed chair established at LSUS. A native Oregonian, Dr. Pederson was born and reared in Eugene, home of the University of Oregon, where he earned his undergraduate and graduate degrees. After serving in the U.S. Army, he returned to the University of Oregon to complete his graduate work in political science. He accepted his first university faculty position in 1977. In late 1982, Dr. Pederson became the founding director of the LSUS American Studies Program. Widely published, Dr. Pederson's works include numerous studies on the American Government with emphasis on the presidency, the first cross-national study of prison camp revolts, and comparative politics (Russia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia).