Professor Emeritus Education Doctorate Programs
Dr. Donald Helmstetter can to Concordia in 2010. He served as the Dean of the College of Education and as the Department Doctoral Studies in Education, where he also taught a variety of courses. Prior to his arrival at Concordia, Don served as a public school superintendent, where he was twice selected as Minnesota Superintendent of the Year. He worked in the Minnesota public school systems for nearly forty years, serving as high school teacher and coach, chemical dependency and high school counselor, principal, athletic director, and superintendent. He also directed summer leadership institutes for high school students for over thirty years. All of these experiences shaped his personal and professional philosophy, which has been to make a positive difference each day, and all the while, insisting that every individual is treated with dignity, is provided due process, and is assured of fairness and justice in all transactions. Don retired from full-time service to Concordia in December 2018.
ACADEMIC/PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIALS
- Ph.D. Educational Administration, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
- M.S. Secondary School Counseling and Guidance, Minnesota State University, Mankato
- B.A. English, Minnesota State University, Mankato
- Minnesota Licenses: Secondary School Counseling and Guidance; Secondary School English and Language Arts; Secondary School Administration; District Superintendent
ACADEMIC FOCUS
Educational Leadership; Systemic and Organizational Leadership; Leading Change in Organizations; Public Policy