Renee Hyde, associate professor of practice in the Department of Educational Administration, is retiring this month.

Hyde, who joined the University of Nebraska–Lincoln faculty in 2019, has a long career in education, most recently serving as the assistant superintendent of human resources for Papillion LaVista Community Schools, before coming to Nebraska.

In honor of her retirement, Hyde answered a few questions about her experiences at Nebraska.

What did you teach/specialize in here at Nebraska?

My role was the coordinator of the superintendent certification program and the intent was to teach courses for emerging superintendents. Due to shortages of staff, I taught several courses for emerging principals as well, for example: Superintendent Academy 987 A, B and C, Community Relations, Appraisal, Ed Finance and School Business and Operations.

What research did you do while at UNL?

As a professor of practice, my role was to support researchers and help disseminate their findings. I was a part of several dissertation committees supporting practitioners.

What will you miss about EDAD, UNL, or Nebraska in general?

I will miss the people — students and colleagues. I will miss the conversations about how to recruit and retain strong future leaders of our schools, what curriculum will serve them as they enter educational administration, and I will simply miss the random conversations that arise when people are together.

Where are you going next?

I will be catching up on all of the things I put off until retirement! I will travel about this beautiful country of ours, visiting family and friends. I will cozy up with a good book when the weather turns cold. I will plant flowers and trees when the weather is warm. I will continue to love and live life, feeling bless and awed.

Do you have a memory or lesson from your time here that you would like to share?

The ability of everyone to respond to COVID-19. We all just pulled together and did what needed to be done to continue serving students. We became more compassionate and reached out to make sure everyone was OK. We arrived at an obstacle and found creative ways around or through them. I am deeply moved by the resilience of our teachers and administrators who not only coped with their own families and work, but continued their university studies. In a time of great divisiveness in our country, we are still able to pull together to serve students and one another.