HANNA, Dr. Joe E.
HANNA, HIGDON
Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 1/15/2016 at 23:14:41
Biography ~ Dr. Joe E. Hanna
Graceland University, Lamoni, IowaJoe E. Hanna was born on August 3, 1934, in York, Nebraska.
After graduating from Graceland in 1954, Joe obtained his B.S. in mathematics (1956) and M.S. (1961) in secondary education from the University of Nebraska-Omaha, and his Ed.D. from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln in 1965.
Joe applied his science and math background in the petroleum engineering field before switching to education. He taught junior high math for four years before joining the Omaha, Nebraska Public School System in 1963 as director of K-12 cirriculum and assistant superintendent. In 1969, Joe began an 11-year tenure as associate superintendent for Omaha Public Schools.
He returned to Graceland as its 12th president on August 19, 1980, following Frank Hough. During his four years in this position, Joe led Graceland through the construction of The Shaw Center and the initiation of the college's first major fund-raising campaign - the $8.7 million Commitment to Excellence - which kicked off in 1984.
Joe left Graceland on April 15, 1984 and was succeeded by Barbara Higdon. He returned to Nebraska and became an appointed officer of the Omaha Board of Education, acting as the board's secretary and chief financial officer. He retired from that position in 1991, assuming a clinical professorship in the College of Education at the University of Nebraska-Omaha.
Joe was inducted into the Benson High School (Omaha, Nebraska) Alumni Association Hall of Fame in 1978.
SOURCE: Goehner, David. “The Graceland College Book of Knowledge: From A To Z.” p. 412. Herald House. Independence MO. 1997.
Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, January of 2016
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