Graydon A. Stanley, Ed.D.

Background

I started my higher education career as a college freshman, working as the visitation coordinator in the Admissions Office at the College of Idaho, a private liberal arts institution in Caldwell. Upon graduation four years later, I wrote to the college president and told him I wanted to continue working there. Two weeks later, I started my first full-time higher education position as an admissions counselor. I was responsible for recruiting students from Idaho, Washington, New Mexico, Arizona and Hawaii, so I initially thought this was a lifetime job of travel and glamour! After marrying my wife, whom I'd given a campus tour several years earlier, I decided to stay closer to home and accepted a position as director of development. When my wife, Tammi, graduated with a degree in elementary education, we decided to venture to Eastern Oregon and work as teachers in a very small school district. We've had many stops along the path to this destination, including a long stint as dean of students at the College of Southern Idaho, 10 years as vice president of student services at North Idaho College, and three years as vice president of a student services at Walla Walla Community College. I have retired twice, each time quite unsuccessfully and lasting less than a year, because I missed the students, my colleagues and the purposeful work. I am truly honored to serve the students, the University and the Church here. 

More importantly, I have been married to Tammi for 46 years and we have two sons. Our oldest son, Graham, graduated from Arizona State University with a degree in tourism development and management and currently lives and works in our hometown of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Our youngest son, Jordan, graduated from New York University with a degree in musical theater and lives with his Canadian wife in Vancouver, British Columbia, where they are struggling and very happy performers. Finally, our cat Skippyjon is obsessed with my wife and loves it when I am out of town!