SAYING GOODBYE

His impact is indelibly stamped upon the landscape of Maryville.

Under his watch, Northwest Missouri State University has blossomed into a leader in the field of higher education, offering cutting edge technology, international opportunities and national exposure for athletic teams.

But if there's one thing that defines his legacy, perhaps more than quantifiable figures or a laundry list of awards, it's a culture.

A Culture of Quality.

Dr. Dean Hubbard — Northwest's ninth president and longest tenured — serves the final day of his 25 years at the University today, all as it's president.

The list of additions to Northwest since Hubbard took over in 1984 is extensive, according to the school's official Web site. Northwest became the electronic campus in 1987. In 1993, the Missouri Legislature named the Northwest Arboretum the official arboretum of the state. The Joyce and Harvey White International Plaza, signifying Northwest's international influence with a walkway lined with the flags of more than 50 countries, was dedicated in 1998. The Missouri Academy of Science, Mathematics and Computing, which allows high school students with high performance to begin their college careers early, launched in 2000.

But all of those are directly dependent on one thing, Hubbard said. The culture.

"The right kind of culture adapts to whatever happens in the broader society," Hubbard said. "The things that happen as a result of that culture — whether it's student employment, the electronic campus, the electronic textbook initiative, the arboretum, the campus, the international plaza, or the academy — they're are all kinds of things that grow out of that, what a culture facilitates."

Dean's oldest daughter — Dr. Melody Hubbard — watched the development of that culture from a young age. A member of the Northwest staff herself, Melody said that people are vital to an institution's success. Her father couldn't have possibly shaped Northwest into the university it is today by himself. Rather, she sees him as a facilitator. The Culture of Quality brings out the best in people and that in turn improves the process, allowing people to reach their full potential, she said.

"People who really understand quality, understand that people will do their very best and that you should expect their very best. And that if there's a problem, it's not the people, there's something wrong with the process. And so what you have is a totally different tone in an organization," Melody said. "People are excited about talking about problems and how they can be improved, rather than trying to hide them and cover up."

Dean came to Northwest after serving as the president of Union College in Lincoln, Neb. Prior to that, he earned his Ph.D. from Stanford University in California, a bachelor's and master's degree from Andrews University in Michigan, and a degree in Korean language from Yonsei University in Seoul, Korea. Living overseas helped foster a different way of looking at problem solving, Dean said. Different cultures have different ways of tackling problems and he applied those concepts to his philosophies during his time in various leadership roles.

Another policy that Dean found helpful was the inclusion of student employment. Northwest employs 1,100 student-employees, he said, but it was during his time at Union College that led him to believe it was a good idea. After asking a student to work on a research project for him, the results led him to expand the role of student employment in his institutions.

"She (the student) did such a fine job that I said, 'Good grief. Here we have such an enormous resource that we're not using,'" Dean said. "What she did contributed to her education, as well as contributing to the college and what I wanted done. And so everybody won.

"When students graduate, they're going to get jobs and if they've learned about work and habits that are expected ... and apply what they're learning in class with real issues, they'll be better off. And there's no question. We've proven that."

Regardless of any successes he may have had professionally, Dean said it's his personal life that's the most important.

Dean and his wife Aleta will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on July 12. The couple has purchased a home in Kansas City and will reside there, as well as in another home off of Table Rock Lake in Missouri. Aleta's impact on Dean's career is "immeasurable," he said, and the couple has several plans to sort through after he leaves Northwest. The Hubbards' three children — who have grown and have families of their own — will also live close by, allowing Dean and Aleta to spend quality time with their grandchildren.

"Obviously, at the end of the day when you come to the point of retirement and you look back — as my old mentor Lew Mayhew used to say when you rock on the porch — 'What makes you feel good?'" Dean said. "Family trumps all of it.

"Our family has been very close and that's been very gratifying."