With UNK his final stop, long career in education ends for Dick Meyer

Name: Dick Meyer
Job Title: Associate Professor and Chair, Educational Administration; College of Education
Years at UNK: Five
Education: Education Doctorate, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2008; Master of Education, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 1978; Bachelor of Science, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 1975.

Career Path: Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Director, Kearney Public Schools, 2006-13. Middle School and High School Principal, Holdrege Public Schools, 1995-2006. Middle School Principal, Columbus Public Schools, 1991-95. Middle School Principal, Holdrege Public Schools, 1984-91. K-12 Principal, Humphrey Public Schools, 1981-84. Grades 7-12 Principal, Wolbach Public Schools, 1979-81. Math Teacher, Culler Junior High, Lincoln Public Schools, 1975-79.

Honors/Awards: Al Kilgore Award of Excellence, Nebraska Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2014. Nebraska High School Principal of the Year, Nebraska Council of School Administrators, 2002. Region IV High School Principal of the Year, Nebraska Council of School Administrators, 2000. Region IV Distinguished Elementary Principal of the Year, Nebraska Council of School Administrators, 1998.

Family: Wife, Sheila; Sons: Aaron, 34, Chandler, Arizona; Lane, 32, Mt. Juliet, Tennessee; Cole, 32, Lincoln; and Quentin, deceased.

Hobbies/Interests: Golf, watching college sports, travel, visiting wineries and breweries.

Three words that describe your personality? Quiet, thoughtful, friendly

Share something about yourself that few people know? People would be surprised to know what?  I have failed at retirement twice before.

What do you like most about your job? Helping others achieve their goals.

Biggest change you’ve seen at UNK since you started? Addition of our joint doctoral program.

Best career advice you received? Relationships and mentors are what really make a difference. Find those folks who are willing to share with you and provide actionable feedback on how to improve at what you do.

What is your favorite thing about UNK? The relationships with faculty and students.

Where is your favorite place to visit on campus? Not sure. I don’t get out much as all of my students are online.

Biggest challenge you faced in your time at UNK? Figuring out how to produce and publish academic manuscripts.

What qualities make someone successful in your position? Listening skills, problem solving skills, reliability, writing and research skills, collaboration, building relationships.

How do you measure success, in terms of your career? Are my students able to accomplish their professional goals?

Tell me about the time in your life at UNK when you worked the hardest? When I started. I didn’t know what it really meant to be a chair and how to go about conducting research to write manuscripts for publication.

If you could go back in time, what would you do differently? Nothing.

What is your fondest memory of UNK? Being recognized for my research in “New Frontiers.