24
COM Outlook . Fall 2013
women’s movement had really blos-
somed. She wanted me to become a
teacher because she thought I would
be a really good one, but that’s not
what I wanted to do.”
After graduating from Tabor High
School, Dr. Rokusek carefully con-
sidered an array of attractive scholar-
ship opportunities before settling on
Mount Marty College in her birth-
place of Yankton, South Dakota. “I
wanted to stay local because I was an
only child and was very close to my
parents, although I did live in a dorm
to fully enjoy the college experience,”
explained Dr. Rokusek, who received
a full four-year theater scholarship
from Mount Marty.
However, during her second year
of college, Dr. Rokusek’s academic
adviser called her into her office to
discuss an intriguing opportunity.
“She said, ‘We’re not going to take
your scholarship away, but we really
feel you have a stronger aptitude in
science.’ So I began getting into chem-
istry, which I sort of liked, especially
biochemistry,” Dr. Rokusek recalled.
“Then a wonderful professor by the
name of Dr. Soojae Zeon called me in
regarding a new program being estab-
lished in dietetics.”
With the help of an additional
$1,000 scholarship from the American
Dietetic Association, Dr. Rokusek
was accepted into the inaugural
dietetic program and went on to
graduate from Mount Marty College
in 1975. Interestingly, because of her
diverse interests, her Bachelor of Arts
degree included a double major in
Home Economics/Dietetics and Oral
Communication and a double minor
in Biology and Chemistry. “I gradu-
ated magna sum laude and had a lot
of options,” said Dr. Rokusek of her
academic viability. “I knew I liked
working in the field of nutrition; in
fact, I thought I was going to be the
next Betty Crocker.”
After assessing her postgraduate
opportunities, Dr. Rokusek set her
sights on attending the University
of Nebraska, where she intended to
earn her master’s and Ph.D. degrees
in Human Nutrition after receiving an
all-expenses-paid regents’ fellowship.
However, after completing her mas-
ter’s degree and commencing work
on her Ph.D, an administrator from
her alma mater contacted her with an
enticing proposal.
Piloting a Shift to Higher
Education Administration
As it turned out, because her
former mentor Dr. Zeon had recently
left Mount Marty to relocate to Seoul,
South Korea, the college was in dire
need of someone to replace her before
the next semester began the following
month; hence the surprise job oppor-
tunity. Although Dr. Rokusek decided
to accept the one-year position to teach
in the dietetics and nutrition program,
she fully expected to return to her Ph.D.
studies at the University of Nebraska.
However, as is the case with even the
best-laid plans, they often go astray.
“I really enjoyed teaching and
wound up spending five years serving
as department chair of the accredited
dietetic program from 1976 through
1981,” said Dr. Rokusek, who became
the recipient of a generous offer from
the Mount Marty administration once
she decided to remain at the college.
“The administration said to me, ‘We
know we interrupted your studies, so
if you want to get a doctorate we will
pay for it, but it will have to be at the
University of South Dakota.’ At that
time, the university had no Ph.D. pro-
gram in nutrition, so I opted to pursue
an Ed.D. in Higher Educational Ad-
ministration, which I obtained in 1983.
I was fortunate because my academic
adviser for my doctorate was the for-
mer president, Dr. I.D. Weeks, of the
University of South Dakota. He served
in that role for over 30 years and was
a great mentor and adviser.”
After leaving Mount Marty College
in 1981, Dr. Rokusek spent the next
12 years working at the University of
GLOBETROTTING: GREAT WALL OF CHINA, NORTH KOREA, AND GUAM
