Conference on Higher Education Computing in Kansas

Speakers

Dr. Steve Scott

Dr. Steven A. Scott, a native of Baxter Springs, Kansas, earned a BSEd in mathematics from Pittsburg State University in 1973, an MS in mathematics from Oklahoma State University in 1977, an EdS from Pittsburg State University in 1984, and an EdD from Oklahoma State University in 1990.

Dr. Scott began his lifelong career in education as a teacher and coach at the Riverton Junior and Senior High Schools. He also taught and coached at the Miami (Oklahoma) Public Schools. From 1981 until 1988, Dr. Scott taught computer science courses at Northeastern Oklahoma A & M College in Miami. He joined the PSU faculty in 1989 as an assistant professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. In 1995, Dr. Scott was named chairman of the Department of Special Services and Leadership Studies. From 1999 until 2006, he served as dean of the College of Education and was named vice president for academic affairs in 2006. In June 2008, the title of Provost was added, recognizing the broad scope of Dr. Scott's leadership activities throughout campus. In 2009, the Kansas Board of Regents selected Dr. Scott to become the ninth president of Pittsburg State University.

Among his many responsibilities at PSU, Dr. Scott has been highly involved in the university's strategic planning process, academic program review, accreditation, and meeting the university's performance agreements with the Kansas Board of Regents.

Dr. Scott has written and presented in a variety of forums and formats in support of the use of instructional technologies by K-12 teachers. In addition, his grant writing efforts have yielded more than a million dollars in externally-funded projects that have benefitted hundreds of teachers, numerous school districts, the Greenbush Service Center, and other institutions of higher education.

Dr. Scott is a recipient of the PSU Outstanding Alumni Award, the Office of Multicultural Affairs' PSU Outstanding Chairperson Award, and the Southeast Kansas Education Service Center's Putting Kids First Award.

Dr. Scott and his wife, Cathy, live in Pittsburg. They have two grown children, Kylie and Phillip.

Dr. C.J. Huff

Dr. C.J. Huff arrived in Joplin in July 2008 and is currently in his fifth year as the Superintendent of the Joplin Schools. Prior to accepting this position, Dr. Huff served four years as the Superintendent of Schools in the Eldon School District, near Lake of the Ozarks. He has also served as a principal in the Nixa, Springfield, and the Bolivar School Districts and as an elementary classroom teacher in Bolivar, MO and Pleasanton, KS.

Dr. Huff received his two associate degrees from Labette Community College (Parsons, KS), a BS in Elementary Education from Pittsburg State University (Pittsburg, KS), a Masters and Specialist Degree from Missouri State University (Springfield, MO), and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville.

In addition to his administrative responsibilities with the schools, Dr. Huff remains active in the Joplin Community through his participation on the Joplin Chamber of Commerce, Joplin Noon Rotary, Bright Futures USA Board of Directors, actively volunteers for Children's Haven, and serves as a "lunch buddy" to at-risk youth through Big Brothers/Big Sisters.

Dr. Huff was born and raised in Southeast Kansas near the town of McCune. Prior to becoming an educator he was a farmer for 8 years and attributes much of the success he has achieved to a strong work ethic and values instilled in him by his family. He has been married 15 years to his wife Jennifer. Together they have three children, of whom he is very proud, Savannah, age 12, Keaton, age 10, and Julianne, age 3.