Counseling Jack Staggs Dissertation Scholarship

Dr. Staggs earned his bachelor’s degree from the State College of Arkansas, his master’s from George Peabody College for Teachers, and his doctorate from the University of Houston. He came to Sam Houston State in 1960 and served 13 years as director of the Department of Education, increasing faculty numbers from 11 to 40, increasing programs and establishing and maintaining important standards which have led to the establishment of SHSU’s second doctorate. in education administration, in 1997. Dr. Staggs served on many university councils and committees, as president of the university chapter of the American Association of University Professors, and he worked on behalf of the First United Methodist Church. It was in the military, working with enlisted men who were high school dropouts, when Staggs decided to become a teacher. This fascination with educating led him to get his teaching certificate at Central Arkansas University. While working with Kappa Delta Pi, the undergraduate honor society in education, he was approached about having a scholarship created in his name. Through his and other contributions, the Jack Staggs Kappa Delta Pi scholarship is given annually to several students. With his efforts and contributions, Dr. Staggs has helped create the Valine Hobbs Elementary Education Scholarship, the Mozelle Powell Spanish Endowed Scholarship, and the Jessie A. Lewis Reading Scholarship. When the Educational Leadership and Counseling doctoral program began, he established the Jack Staggs Educational Leadership and Counseling Dissertation Award.