Six former faculty, staff to be inducted in Wall of Fame ceremony
A celebration of 171 years of combined service will be held Oct. 30 as Missouri State University honors six former employees during its annual Wall of Fame ceremony. The ceremony will take place at 3:30 p.m. in the Plaster Student Union Ballroom.
The 2009 Wall of Fame inductees include: Linda Dollar, Wensey Marsh, John Schatz, Dr. Genevieve Cramer, Dr. Ralph Williams and Dr. Milton Rafferty.
“These six individuals represent all the qualities that make Missouri State University the great institution it is today,” said Missouri State President Michael T. Nietzel. “I am proud to honor them with a space on the Wall of Fame where students, faculty and staff can remember their tremendous contributions in leadership for years to come. I find it especially appropriate to honor them during this Homecoming weekend.”
Those chosen for induction to the Wall of Fame by the selection committee were nominated by faculty, staff and students. Nominees must have worked for the university full-time for at least 10 years. Additionally, five years must have passed since the individual was last employed full-time at Missouri State. Those nominated must be known and respected by various segments of the campus community for their demonstrated character and integrity; their service must have resulted in meaningful change at the university.
Information regarding each honoree is below:
Linda Dollar garnered much recognition for her 31 years of service to Missouri State University as an instructor, volleyball coach and assistant athletic director. Through her extraordinary coaching and team-building skills, Dollar took the volleyball Bears program to a new level. At the time of her retirement in 1995, Dollar was second in the number of wins of any coach in women’s college volleyball history. Beyond that, her players recognize the skills she honed in them – not only as athletes, but as members of their communities. Dollar is still devoted to the Bears; she takes time to volunteer on the First Serve Committee and supports the volleyball Bears both on and off the floor.
After serving his country in World War II, Wensey Marsh enrolled in Missouri State University in 1946 – under the G.I. bill – and graduated an astounding 28 months later. In 1957, he returned to his alma mater to begin his service there as placement director. In this position for 27 years, he assisted in recruitment activities and in career placement for graduating students. Dedicated to his fellow staff and faculty, Marsh also worked at developing a campus-wide salary and job description classification, which led to a complete personnel classification system. Marsh took great pride in his career and in helping people find satisfaction in theirs.
Great leadership through times of unprecedented growth characterizes John Schatz’s tenure at Missouri State University. Schatz served as a faculty member in the agriculture department for 37 years, developing curriculum, advising and challenging students, contributing to many campus events, conducting research and participating in the development of the William H. Darr Agricultural Center and the National Association of College Teachers of Agriculture. From 1968-1980, Schatz headed the department, and his imprint can still be seen in the department and on the students he helped – many of whom have become successful in the horticulture industry.
Dr. Genevieve (Genny) Cramer, professor emeritus of the graduate reading program, exemplified the public affairs mission before the university even adopted it. Her 27 years at Missouri State University were filled with chairing programs, departmental and college committees and task forces, teaching students, and enthusiastically promoting the reading program. With this intense passion for reading, she also regularly volunteered for organizations helping individuals learn the basics of reading – something she continues to do to this day which provides invaluable service to the community. The impact she had on the university and community is immense and tangible; she donated hundreds of books and journals to the graduate reading program library.
The College of Business Administration, where Dr. Ralph Williams served as dean from 1979-89, is now the largest business college in Missouri, and much of the initial growth is due to the dedication of Williams. He led through many major changes: the shift from the School of Business to COBA, the reorganization of departments, the expansion of curriculum and faculty, the planning of Glass Hall, the establishment of a sister city relationship with Isesaki, Japan, and the push toward complying with the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) – an accreditation that became official shortly after he stepped down as dean. Until 1998, Williams taught in the management department, sharing his knowledge and passion for empowering individuals, innovating and leading organizations.
Dr. Milton Rafferty leads by example. During his 24 years as department head of geography, geology and planning at Missouri State University, he served on committees, conducted research, published articles and books, and conducted business in an open door manner – all the things he expected out of his faculty members. He united a department that housed experts in a wide spectrum of subjects and elevated it from only two undergraduate programs to five with an interdisciplinary graduate program. With a total of 30 years at Missouri State, Rafferty became an expert on the Ozarks region and published the quintessential book on the area, “Ozarks Land and Life” in 1980, and he continues to travel and speak at conferences around the country.
For more information, contact Thomas Lane, assistant to the vice president for student affairs and director of Plaster Student Union, at (417) 836-5886.
