For 42 years, Dr. Staggers imparted the lessons of history and political science as an instructor in the Midwest, teaching at the University of Sioux Falls from 1982 to 2016.
SIOUX FALLS, SD, August 11, 2017 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Marquis Who's Who, the world's premier publisher of biographical profiles, is proud to name Kermit LeMoyne Staggers Jr. a Lifetime Achiever. An accomplished listee, Dr. Staggers celebrates many years' experience in his professional network, and has been noted for achievements, leadership qualities, and the credentials and successes he has accrued in his field. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
For 42 years, Dr. Staggers imparted the lessons of history and political science as an instructor in the Midwest, teaching at the University of Sioux Falls from 1982 to 2016. He now enjoys Emeritus status. He has been an outspoken political and social voice in local radio and television, and a former state and city level legislator. Dr. Staggers is a U.S. veteran, and served to the rank of captain in the U.S. Air Force from 1970 to 1976.
Dr. Staggers was born in Washington, Pennsylvania in 1947, to Kermit LeMoyne and Christine Ruby Staggers. He studied at the University of Idaho to earn a BS in 1969 before joining the military. Before enlisting, he married June Ann Wenda in August of 1970, and they have two children together, Ayn Kristen Staggers Bird and Kyle Lee Staggers. After the air force, Dr. Staggers taught history at Troy State University, and in 1977, he went on to the University of Idaho. He briefly served at the Northwestern College in Orange City, the College of Lake County, Trinity International University, and the University of St. Francis. In 1982, Dr. Staggers settled in at the University of Sioux Falls and was briefly a lecturer at the University of Maryland Europe in Heidelberg, Germany. In 1975, he earned a MA in History at the University of Idaho and in 1986, he received a PhD from Claremont Graduate University.
Beginning in the '90s, Dr. Staggers became more involved with local politics, and from 1995 to 2002, he joined the South Dakota Senate as a fiscal conservative, regularly opposing property tax increases but never succeeding in stopping one. "Sometimes you might not be successful as far as getting your issues passed, but in the process citizens might become aware of it, and that's important," said Dr. Staggers in 2016 for the Argus Leader. He also led a movement to abolish South Dakota State inheritance tax.
In 2002, he joined the Sioux Falls City Council as a legislator and municipal official, where he served for 12 years before he announced he would not be running for reelection. Over his term of civil service he has served as the chair of the Senate Transportation Committee as well as a director on the board for the Siouxland Heritage Museums.
In 2001, Dr. Staggers lectured at the diplomatic academy at the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry as well as the National University Kiev-Mohyla Academy. He has also contributed numerous articles to professional publications, and is a member of the Great Plains Political Science Association, where he was president in 2000. He is affiliated with the Federalist Society, the Fulbright Association, the Historical Society, the Conference on Faith and History, Kiwanis Club, National Eagle Scout Association, Phi Alpha Theta, and Phi Kappa Phi. For Dr. Staggers' contributions to the state legislature, he was awarded the 1996 Guardian of Small Business Award by the National Federation of Independent Business. Additionally, Dr. Staggers was named 1993 Malone Faculty Fellow and was selected for inclusion in numerous volumes of Who's Who in America, Who's Who in the Midwest, Who's Who in the World, and two volumes of Who's Who in American Education from 2006 to 2008. He enjoys travel and collecting books.
In recognition of outstanding contributions to his profession and the Marquis Who's Who community, Dr. Staggers has been featured on the Marquis Who's Who Lifetime Achievers website. Please visit www.ltachievers.com for more information about this honor.
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Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America , Marquis Who's Who has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Today, Who's Who in America remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. Marquis publications may be visited at the official Marquis Who's Who website at www.marquiswhoswho.com.
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