Donald Dedmon
Encyclopedia
Donald Newton Dedmon was an American
educator.
Dedmon was born in Missouri, and received his undergraduate degree at Southwestern Missouri State College, and later, an M.A. and doctorate degree in oral education from University of Iowa
.
He taught at high school and college levels before entering administration positions at Colorado State University
.
After serving at Colorado State University he became vice president at Marshall University
, and eventually acting president of the University, where he would lead the campus through the November 14, 1970, plane crash in which 37 members of the Marshall University
Thundering Herd
football squad, eight members of the coaching staff, 25 boosters, four flight crew members, and one employee of the charter company were killed. The team was returning home after a 17-14 loss against the East Carolina University
Pirates (now their conference rivals
) at Ficklen Stadium
in Greenville, North Carolina
. David Strathairn
portrays Donald Dedmon in the movie We Are Marshall
.
His tenure was short at Marshall before becoming president of Radford University
on March 20, 1972. Dr. Dedmon served in this capacity for more than twenty years, during which time the University experienced great growth and a major change from an all woman's college to a co-ed institution, before reaching university status in 1979. The enrollment tripled during this time span.
He was considered an eloquent orator who believed in emphasizing faculty teaching over research work by university professors.
He retired from Radford University in 1994, and he died in Naples, FL in 1998.
The Dedmon Center
at Radford University was named in his honor.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
educator.
Dedmon was born in Missouri, and received his undergraduate degree at Southwestern Missouri State College, and later, an M.A. and doctorate degree in oral education from University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
.
He taught at high school and college levels before entering administration positions at Colorado State University
Colorado State University
Colorado State University is a public research university located in Fort Collins, Colorado. The university is the state's land grant university, and the flagship university of the Colorado State University System.The enrollment is approximately 29,932 students, including resident and...
.
After serving at Colorado State University he became vice president at Marshall University
Marshall University
Marshall University is a coeducational public research university in Huntington, West Virginia, United States founded in 1837, and named after John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice of the United States....
, and eventually acting president of the University, where he would lead the campus through the November 14, 1970, plane crash in which 37 members of the Marshall University
Marshall University
Marshall University is a coeducational public research university in Huntington, West Virginia, United States founded in 1837, and named after John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice of the United States....
Thundering Herd
Marshall Thundering Herd
The Marshall Thundering Herd are the intercollegiate athletic teams that collectively represent the Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. Thundering Herd athletic teams compete in Conference USA, which are members of the NCAA Division I...
football squad, eight members of the coaching staff, 25 boosters, four flight crew members, and one employee of the charter company were killed. The team was returning home after a 17-14 loss against the East Carolina University
East Carolina University
East Carolina University is a public, coeducational, engaged doctoral/research university located in Greenville, North Carolina, United States. Named East Carolina University by statute and commonly known as ECU or East Carolina, the university is the largest institution of higher learning in...
Pirates (now their conference rivals
Conference USA
Conference USA, officially abbreviated C-USA, is a college athletic conference whose member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports...
) at Ficklen Stadium
Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium
Bagwell Field at Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium is the on-campus football facility for the East Carolina Pirates in Greenville, North Carolina. The official capacity of the stadium is 50,000, making it the third largest college stadium in North Carolina. The record attendance for the stadium was on October...
in Greenville, North Carolina
Greenville, North Carolina
Greenville is the county seat of Pitt County and principal city of the Greenville, North Carolina metropolitan area. Greenville is the health, entertainment, and educational hub of North Carolina's Tidewater and Coastal Plain and in 2008 was listed as the Tenth Largest City in North Carolina...
. David Strathairn
David Strathairn
David Russell Strathairn is an American actor. He was nominated for an Academy Award for portraying journalist Edward R. Murrow in Good Night, and Good Luck...
portrays Donald Dedmon in the movie We Are Marshall
We Are Marshall
We Are Marshall is a 2006 American drama film directed by Joseph McGinty Nichol about the aftermath of the 1970 plane crash that killed 37 football players on the Marshall University Thundering Herd football team as well as five coaches, two athletic trainers, the athletic director, 25 boosters and...
.
His tenure was short at Marshall before becoming president of Radford University
Radford University
Radford University is one of Virginia's eight doctoral-degree granting public universities. Originally founded in 1910, Radford offers comprehensive curricula for undergraduates in more than 100 fields, and graduate programs including the M.F.A., M.B.A...
on March 20, 1972. Dr. Dedmon served in this capacity for more than twenty years, during which time the University experienced great growth and a major change from an all woman's college to a co-ed institution, before reaching university status in 1979. The enrollment tripled during this time span.
He was considered an eloquent orator who believed in emphasizing faculty teaching over research work by university professors.
He retired from Radford University in 1994, and he died in Naples, FL in 1998.
The Dedmon Center
Dedmon Center
Dedmon Center is a 5,000-seat multi-purpose arena in Radford, Virginia. It was built in 1981 and is home to the Radford University Highlanders basketball team. The Center is named after Dr. Donald Dedmon, a former Radford university president. It was the tenth air-supported roof built in the...
at Radford University was named in his honor.