Edman Takes a Bow: Dr. Neal Edman Exits Student Affairs after 29 Years

Edman takes a BOW

By AMANDA MIENTUS

NEAL A. EDMAN, VICE PRESIDENT FOR STUDENT AFFAIRS AND DEAN OF STUDENTS, CAN BE DESCRIBED AS WISE, HARDWORKING, AND ABOVE ALL ELSE, ETHICAL. WITH A CONTAGIOUS SMILE AND AN ENTHUSIASTIC PRESENCE, EDMAN HAS BEEN A VOICE FOR WESTMINSTER STUDENTS SINCE HIS ARRIVAL IN 1988. NOW RETIRING AFTER 29 YEARS, EDMAN LOOKS BACK ON HIS TENURE AND DISCUSSES HIS HOPES FOR MOTHER FAIR—AND THE IMPACT SHE HAS HAD ON HIM.

What set you on your career path? When I was in college I had been involved in a lot of student affairs activities. I was an assistant orientation leader and partook in residential orientation in my residence hall. I was always leading things, and I loved being the example to follow. I ended up moving home and living with my parents after I graduated college. One day, my mother told me that a friend I grew up with was at Indiana University as a graduate student and working in “Student Personnel Administration”—what student affairs used to be known as. This type of job was never even on my radar, and I was shocked that I had never known about this field. I got there, they gave me a full paying graduate assistantship, and I completed my master’s and doctorate degrees while employed. That experience jettisoned me into the student affairs field.

What are you most proud of from your time here? I have surrounded myself with hard-working wonderful people. I have long pursued a course that would help take the institution and students into the 21st century—socially and ethically. I am proud that I have been able to see the evolution and change. I think WC is now a much more open-minded, receptive campus than it was way back when I started, and I hope that I had something to do with that.

Soon, someone new will be assuming your position. What are your words of wisdom for your successor? I truly believe that one key requirement for progression of success is to strive to continually work closely in collaboration with faculty. I encourage Carllos Lassiter, the next dean and vice president for student affairs, to continue to pursue joint programs, courses, and co-curricular activities that meld student life both within and outside the formal classroom, such as additional thematic living-learning centers, honors housing, wellness classes, internships, leadership development, and the like. One true benefit of the new president, Dr. Kathy Brittain Richardson, is her previous experience in student affairs. She is very student centered and student focused, and I feel that being in that mindset is a huge opportunity for the department, the College, and Mr. Lassiter. She is more than willing to expend the resources that are necessary to bridge the divisions and enhance student retention here.

Looking back, would you still choose the chaos associated with a career in student affairs over a standard 9-to-5 job? Absolutely. Working in a college or university has its own cadence. The stresses are different, but there is a certain flexibility that higher education affords you. That opens opportunities to mold and find different ways to do things that are equally fulfilling and helpful to me within and outside the institution. Every day I wake up and have something different facing me—fun or not—but it really keeps you hopping and learning. I love the exhilaration I feel when I have a new experience. I also truly admire the level of intelligence which surrounds me at this college—I constantly learn new things from the faculty, these great students, and my other colleagues. The ongoing constant stimulation and the challenging environment, which is unique to working in higher education, is something I will miss a lot.

What’s next for you? I am ready to just take a break, sleep in, live life leisurely and spend time with my family and two dogs, Bailey and Lucy. I have always been involved in activities outside of work and am excited to continue to dedicate more time to my volunteer work on community and national boards, life in the theater, singing, renovating my house, and the really fun aspects of my life. I would also love to travel more abroad, but specifically see the national parks and all the beauty the United States has to offer.