Administration

Communications

Love of teaching lures Walton back to classroom
Tuesday, November 11, 2008

After more than five years as the head of the Culver-Stockton College athletic department, Rod Walton has announced he is leaving his post as athletic director. He will resume his teaching career as an associate professor of psychology at Culver-Stockton.

“I was greatly honored when I was asked to take on the athletic director duties five years ago. It’s been a great ride, and I’ve enjoyed leading the Wildcats, recruiting every coach, save one, now on our staff and building up the quality of our facilities,” Walton said. “I believe the athletic department is heading in the right direction, and that we have some of the finest young men and women on any campus in America competing here as athletes, young people who also pursue success in the classroom. I will enjoy returning to the classroom and being on the sidelines again to cheer on our many teams.”

C-SC President William L. Fox said he reluctantly accepted Walton’s decision to return to teaching and that Walton has agreed to advise C-SC through the Athletic Department transition. “When I arrived at the college, we had a leadership vacuum in the athletic department and one of my first and my best executive moments was to ask Rod to become the leader of our athletic program,” Fox said. “He has done a phenomenal job – he supervised the building of a new field house, track and field facility, activities center and fitness room, and press box – some of the finest resources of any college in the Midwest. He balanced budgets and restored our high reputation for quality and integrity. He leaves big sneakers to fill!”

“We welcome Rod back to the faculty,” added R. Joseph Dieker, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the college. “Rod is an excellent teacher, and we are pleased that he is returning to the classroom where he can continue to meet our students’ academic needs and serve as a model of leadership and character.”

Walton joined C-SC in 1983 and was head men’s basketball coach and assistant professor of physical education until 1991. C-SC appointed him assistant professor of psychology, and in 1998, he became chair of the Social and Behavioral Sciences Division and in 2001 was named lead of the Psychology Department. He also coordinated the 3-2 pre-professional program in occupational therapy. Walton was C-SC head men’s golf coach from 1983-1993 and was the faculty rep to the athletic department from 1994-2003, when he was named athletic director.

In 1987, Walton received the college’s Helsabeck Prize for Excellence in Teaching, and he received the Missouri Governor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2000. He was twice named the recipient of the Panhellenic Council Faculty Award in 1998 and 2001.

Walton earned his bachelor’s of science degree in physical education at Illinois State University and his master’s degree in psychology and counseling at Nicholls State University, Thibodaux, La.

Fox said the C-SC Athletic Department will be reorganized into the Division for Enrollment Management and College Marketing under the leadership of Vice President Melik Peter Khoury, effective January 1, 2009, who will begin a search for a new athletic director.

“It will be an enormous task to replace Rod Walton, and we are going to take the time to do a national search and seek out the best successor possible,” Fox said.