UND room to be dedicated to Lemon, Piper
Room 300, a conference room in the newly renovated Education Building at the University of North Dakota will be dedicated in honor of two retired professors, Dr. Donald Lemon and Dr. Donald Piper, on Saturday, July 7, at 2 p.m. The event is open to the public and will begin in the lobby of the Education Building.
Faculty, family, friends and alumni created this naming opportunity with donations to honor the legacy of these two men for future generations.
"So many of us wanted to see their presence in this building continue," said Dr. Sherry Houdek, professor and chair of the Department of Educational Leadership. "This room is one of our best conference rooms, with state-of-the-art technology and comfortable furnishings, and it is where our graduate students want to learn!"
"Don Lemon was an inspiration to me as a child," continued Houdek, "and was instrumental in my development as an educational leader. Don Piper was my advisor who set high standards and provided encouragement. Their contributions as North Dakota educational leaders and to the field of administration deserve this recognition."
Don Lemon came to the UND in 1968 and served as an administrator and professor for 36 years until his retirement in 2004. He received the title of Chester Fritz Distinguished Professor in 2001. He was elected chair of the Department of Educational Leadership for eight years and then again a second time for four additional years. Throughout his history at UND, Lemon worked extensively with American Indians, an experience from which he learned more than he taught. He was honored with numerous awards through his long tenure. The department also won three departmental awards for teaching and service, twice while he was chair. In 1984 Lemon was personally recognized with a Fellows Award for Excellence in Public Service.
Don Piper came to UND in 1973, joining the faculty as associate professor of educational administration and serving more than 28 years. He was promoted to full professor in 1976 and chaired the department for 12 years. He has graduated more than 100 master's, specialist and doctoral advisees throughout his tenure at UND. He founded the UND Graduate Center at Bismarck in 1979 and was named director of summer sessions in 1994. Under his direction, the program achieved record enrollments. He served as a Distinguished Visiting Professor at Southwest Texas State University in 1982, and as president of the National Council of Professors of Educational Administration from 1983 to 1984. Piper has been active with the North Dakota LEAD Center Board of Directors and Grand Forks Chamber of Commerce.
The UND College of Education and Human Development has more than 1,700 undergraduate and graduate students in five departments, including Counseling Psychology and Community Services; Educational Foundations and Research; Educational Leadership; Physical Education, Exercise Science and Wellness; and Teaching and Learning. The mission fosters healthy human development and learning across the lifespan.
Contact:
Jena Pierce, director of alumni relations and development
UND Education Department
701.777.0844
jena.pierce@email.und.edu
