Leading In the Skin You're In: A Conversation with Dr. Tawana Grover and Dr. Steve Joel

Abstract

Leading In the Skin You're InA Conversation with Dr. Tawana Grover and Dr. Steve Joel Ryan Teten The 2020 Warner Lecture, October 7, 2020 Dr. Ryan Teten: I would like to welcome everybody. On behalf of the College of Arts and Sciences and the University of Nebraska Kearney and College Park here in Grand Island, my name is Dr. Ryan Teten and I am the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Nebraska Kearney. I'd like to first take the time to thank both of our presenters, the amazing staff here at College Park including LJ McCormick (the executive director), Dr. Peter Longo, Steve Hansen, Kristy Milks, and everyone else who lent their assistance to this event to make it possible. Last week, the University of Nebraska at Kearney and College Park, Grand Island, collaborated to deliver undergraduate and graduate classes alike in the face-to-face format from College Park here in Grand Island. It's an incredible opportunity, and we're proud to have LJ and his entire staff as part of the new Loper family. The Warner Lecture is a signature event supported by the Office of the Chancellor and named for late state senators Senator Charles Warner and his son Jerome Warner. Charles Warner is often referred to as the "grand old man" of Nebraska politics. He was a member of the Nebraska House and the Nebraska Senate and then the Nebraska Unicameral and served as the combined legislature's first Speaker. He was later elected Lieutenant Governor four times serving from 1949 until his death at age 80. While serving in the Nebraska House of Representatives in 1903, he led the effort to establish the Kearney Normal School. Jerome Warner continued this drive for public service and public education and served 35 years in elected service as a state senator including as Speaker and headed committees on education, appropriations, revenue, and the executive board. His leadership helped make Kearney State College part of the State University System in 1989. We are pleased this evening to honor these individuals with the annual Warner Lecture and we are equally honored to host Dr. Tawana Grover and Dr. Steve Joel as presenters for this special event. Dr. Tawana Grover serves as Superintendent of Grand Island Public Schools in Grand Island, Nebraska; she serves a district of over 10,000 students. Prior to becoming Superintendent in 2016, she served as Chief Human Resource Officer, Executive Director of Federal Programs, Director of Special Programs, Principal, and Assistant Principal in Texas. Dr. Grover possesses a sharp grasp of competencies for highly effective instructional leadership, and she earned a PhD from the University of North Texas and her education degrees from Doane University and Auburn University in Montgomery, Alabama. Dr. Steve Joel became Superintendent of Lincoln Public Schools in 2010. Previously, he served 10 years as a Superintendent in Grand Island, Nebraska, and eight years in Beatrice, Nebraska. A native of Long Island, New York, he has degrees from Doane College, the University of Nebraska Lincoln, and Kansas State University. Dr. Joel's leadership is focused on comprehensive solutions to significant school and community issues. Lincoln Public Schools is growing rapidly to include over 42,000 students and 8,000 staff members. We would like to welcome both of these presenters, and they will open with a statement on the theme of today's Warner Lecture: "Leading In the Skin You're In." Dr. Joel, would you like to go first? [End Page 125] Dr. Steve Joel: Yes. Well, thank you very much for the invitation. It's wonderful to be back in Grand Island. We spent 10 years here and we have tremendous memories. I'm also very, very proud of my colleague, Dr. Tawana Grover, who has just done an amazing job leading Grand Island Public Schools. She is a leader within the Grand Island community, so it is a real pleasure to share this presentation with her. One of the things that I was thinking about as we were coming here was that I have had a chance to really enjoy a lot of great opportunities. You know, I'm very...