Don Schillinger

About Don Schillinger

I am an educator and leadership scholar shaped by a long career in teaching, academic leadership, and institutional stewardship. My work has been guided by a conviction that leadership is less about control or visibility and more about faithful judgment, responsibility, and service—especially in times of complexity.I currently serve as the Chase Bank Endowed Professor and as Founder of the Emergent Learning Research Institute (ELRI). Previously, I served as Dean of the College of Education at Louisiana Tech University, where my work focused on developing people, strengthening systems, and aligning institutional purpose with enduring educational values.Throughout my career, technology has been a consistent—though never central—companion to this work. From early experience in telecommunications and systems design, to doctoral research focused on data structures for accreditation and accountability, to early adoption of online learning and open-source educational initiatives, I have approached technology as a practical tool in service of clarity, access, and sound judgment rather than as an end in itself.My research and practice sit at the intersection of decision-making, systems thinking, and human-centered leadership. I am particularly interested in how leaders reason, discern, and act under conditions of uncertainty—and how trust, relationships, and moral clarity shape those decisions.I understand leadership as a form of stewardship—of people, ideas, institutions, and influence. My work is informed by a Christian faith that I hold thoughtfully and humbly, and by a desire to steward whatever gifts I have been given in service of others.To Live Sent: Seek beauty and truth, cultivate wisdom, simplify complexity, serve others with love, act with purpose, and glorify God in all things.

Experience

1. Chase Bank Endowed Professor (2014 Present)

   Louisiana Tech University

   Sep 2007 — Present

Education

• University of Mississippi

  Ph.D., Science Education - Chemistry

  2001 — 2004

• University of Central Florida

  B.S. Science Education, Chemistry

  1998 — 2001

Skills

• Fundraising
• Academic Administration
• E-Learning
• Grant Research
• Adult Education
• Science
• Leadership Development
• Teaching
• Educational Consulting
• Pedagogy
• Strategic Planning
• Educational Leadership
• Program Evaluation
• University Teaching
• Instructional Technology
• Education
• Courses
• Higher Education
• Educational Research
• Instructional Design
• Public Speaking
• Research
• Educational Administration
• Program Development
• Accreditation
• Academia
• Stem
• Faculty Development
• Technology Needs Analysis
• Grant Writing
• Classroom Instruction
• Academic Advising
• Microsoft Office
• Curriculum Development
• Student Affairs
• Curriculum Design
• K-12
• Theory
• Teacher Training
• Staff Development