Dr. Philip W. Conn
Title
Dr. Philip W. Conn
Biographical Text
Dr. Conn was born in Alabama, and traces of his Southern heritage were part of his personality. His family was one which had faith in the value of education and believed devoutly in service to mankind. When "Phil" was small, the family moved to Cleveland, Tennessee, where he spent his formative years.
He earned a bachelor's degree from Berea College in Kentucky, later acted as Alumni Director at that institution. It was while he was working there that he met Donna Taylor, who also graduated from that college. After their marriage "Phil" attained a master's degree from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.
From 1977 to 1984 he was a Vice President at Morehead State University in Kentucky. The next ten years were spent as Vice President for University Advancement at Central Missouri State University.
North Dakota provided a geographical culture shock for the Conns and their four children. Although they were not strangers to snow, they were not used to the prodigious amounts that fell in the winter of 1996-97. Their southern friends were treated to the "Would-you-believe" tales of cars buried in drifts that the Conns had never envisioned before.
The family also missed one of the staples of their southern-oriented diet with no okra available to them. This was remedied by their friendship with Dr. Donna Thigpen, president of Bismarck State College, who was also a southerner. The two families managed to maintain a supply sufficient to satisfy their longings.
Phil Conn was a believer in personal visibility, visiting people, media relations, and good publications. These traits served Dickinson State University well as they were reflected in his aggressive recruiting efforts. He recognized the importance of being outwardly oriented and vigorous in trying to attract students. Donna Conn, whose educational background suited her for working with children, was a constant support for her husband, who considered her his major asset.
While in Dickinson she worked with developmentally disabled children, and provided the inspiration for Arts Roundup, held in conjunction with Rough Rider Days over the 4th of July. The Roundup is held on the campus of Dickinson State University, using the King Pavilion as its center.
The Conns left Dickinson in 1998, when Dr. Conn became chancellor of the University of Tennessee at Martin. With that assignment, he became part of the only "brother act" in Tennessee university administration at that time: his brother, Paul, was serving as President of Lee University in Cleveland.
Donna Conn died in November of that year from cancer. Conn has since moved on to the presidency of Western Oregon University in Monmouth, Oregon.
Philip Conn came to Dickinson State and changed it indelibly. His philosophies, his actions, and his beliefs marked it in ways that had not been realized before his coming. There will always be reminders of him in the halls of the University this man of ebullient spirits and in exhaustible energy, who gave a part of his life to "The College on The Hill.”
He earned a bachelor's degree from Berea College in Kentucky, later acted as Alumni Director at that institution. It was while he was working there that he met Donna Taylor, who also graduated from that college. After their marriage "Phil" attained a master's degree from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.
From 1977 to 1984 he was a Vice President at Morehead State University in Kentucky. The next ten years were spent as Vice President for University Advancement at Central Missouri State University.
North Dakota provided a geographical culture shock for the Conns and their four children. Although they were not strangers to snow, they were not used to the prodigious amounts that fell in the winter of 1996-97. Their southern friends were treated to the "Would-you-believe" tales of cars buried in drifts that the Conns had never envisioned before.
The family also missed one of the staples of their southern-oriented diet with no okra available to them. This was remedied by their friendship with Dr. Donna Thigpen, president of Bismarck State College, who was also a southerner. The two families managed to maintain a supply sufficient to satisfy their longings.
Phil Conn was a believer in personal visibility, visiting people, media relations, and good publications. These traits served Dickinson State University well as they were reflected in his aggressive recruiting efforts. He recognized the importance of being outwardly oriented and vigorous in trying to attract students. Donna Conn, whose educational background suited her for working with children, was a constant support for her husband, who considered her his major asset.
While in Dickinson she worked with developmentally disabled children, and provided the inspiration for Arts Roundup, held in conjunction with Rough Rider Days over the 4th of July. The Roundup is held on the campus of Dickinson State University, using the King Pavilion as its center.
The Conns left Dickinson in 1998, when Dr. Conn became chancellor of the University of Tennessee at Martin. With that assignment, he became part of the only "brother act" in Tennessee university administration at that time: his brother, Paul, was serving as President of Lee University in Cleveland.
Donna Conn died in November of that year from cancer. Conn has since moved on to the presidency of Western Oregon University in Monmouth, Oregon.
Philip Conn came to Dickinson State and changed it indelibly. His philosophies, his actions, and his beliefs marked it in ways that had not been realized before his coming. There will always be reminders of him in the halls of the University this man of ebullient spirits and in exhaustible energy, who gave a part of his life to "The College on The Hill.”
Collection
Citation
“Dr. Philip W. Conn ,” Dickinson State University Archive, accessed April 19, 2024, https://www.dsuarchive.com/items/show/20.