Midland University is proud to announce that Dr. Nick Schreck ‘11, has been named Dean for the Dunklau School of Business. Schreck had served as interim Dean since January.
“As a student, professor, and campus leader, Dr. Schreck has embodied what Midland University is all about,” said Dr. Jamie Simpson, Chief Academic Officer. “His experience at many levels will be invaluable in his new role, and we are excited for the great work he, and his team, will continue to do at Midland.”
Schreck started as an adjunct professor at Midland in 2015 before becoming a full-time instructor in the fall of 2017. Prior to being named interim Dean, Schreck served as Director of Undergraduate Business/Associate Professor of Digital Marketing.
Having the opportunity to lead a team of professors and have a greater impact on campus is enticing to Schreck. “I have an incredibly talented team to work with, some of whom were my professors, and I have so much respect for them. I can’t think of a better group to work with every day,” he said. “We’ve grown together and have had great experiences as a team. It’s humbling that they trust me to lead them. I will always work to make sure our incredibly talented team is freed up to do what they are best at, and that is teaching. My job is to not get in their way, help them connect with people, and remove any barriers that would keep them from doing what they do best.”
It was following graduation from Midland and during a five-year tenure with Sycamore Education that Schreck began to pursue a career in higher education. “At Sycamore, I would work with schools to help them use software more effectively, so they could spend more time teaching,” he said. “As I started working with teachers, administrators, and office staff, it became clear that I liked helping people be better at their jobs. I really liked teaching school professionals and wondered if that could translate to college students. I was an adjunct for two years, which was a great experience because it helped me become a better teacher.”
In whatever role he has played at Midland, his goal has always been to provide the best outcome for students. “I want to help create a marvelous experience for them and help them land a job they love doing every day,” he said.
While his new role will involve impacting individuals at a higher level, he doesn’t want to lose sight of what drew him to higher education – being in the classroom. “I will continue teaching some classes, which is important to me because in order to be a leader of teachers, it helps to be in the classroom,” he said.
Another goal is to help with the continued growth of the graduate business programs,” he said. “Our MBA, Sport Administration & Leadership program, and Learning and Talent Development program are some of the best around, and we need more people to know about them and have a great path to participate in them,” he said. “We’ve done a great job at the undergraduate level, now we need to continue to help people that are at different stages of their lives get that training that will move them up in their careers. We want to grow their networks and professional skills and give them an experience where they can be even better at their jobs while maintaining a healthy work-life balance.”
Between his time as a student and professor, Schreck has nearly 15 years invested in Midland University. It’s a big incentive for him to continue to pour all his energy into an institution that means so much to him. “Midland has been a very special place to me,” he said. “I met my wife (Katie) here, I do the announcing for various sports teams, and I bring my kids around Midland and the students. This is a place I love and care about, and I want to make sure they get my best.”
Schreck, recently named Post-Secondary Teacher of the Year by the NSBEA (Nebraska State Business Education Association), graduated from Midland as a Business Administration major with a concentration in marketing, as well as majoring in Religion and Philosophy. He earned his Masters of Communication and Leadership Studies from Gonzaga University and his Masters of Science and Digital Innovation and Marketing from Temple University. He earned a DBA from Franklin University. He and Katie are the parents of a 4-year-old son and 2-year-old daughter.
