New LU curator brings education background to board

Frank Logan Jr. graduated from Lincoln University about five years ago.

Thursday, his father - Frank Logan Sr. - attended his first meeting as a Lincoln curator.

"I thought enough of this university to send my son to it," Logan said, "so I thought it was a natural fit, that I try to give back to that institution that he is a part of."

Thursday's curators meeting came just eight days after Gov. Jay Nixon announced Logan's appointment - so he could begin serving immediately, then go before the state Senate next January for its approval in order to continue serving through Jan. 1, 2017.

Logan retired from the St. Louis Public Schools as executive director for career and technical education.

"I was with the St. Louis Public Schools from, December of 1973 until I retired in June 2010," Logan explained. "My educational background has been, primarily, high school - but, through that process, I have worked with post-secondary institutions."

And that experience should help him in his new role.

"I'm not certain that it's a definite mind shift, but I think the nuances that we deal with from a curator's standpoint are quite different," Logan said, "which means there will be an adjustment period to make sure that I completely acclimate myself with the responsibilities of this board.

Though retired, Logan still works as an educational consultant.

He earned bachelor's and master's degrees from Jackson State University, Jackson, Mississippi and has done doctorate studies in industrial education with the University of Missouri.

"I think education, from infancy, had always been somewhat of a calling," he said, "a lot of role models, a lot of people you grew up in the community with, were educators - so you followed that trend.

"Once getting into it, it intrigued me."

He first asked about the LU Curators vacancy when Rodney Boyd left the board in 2012.

Nixon first appointed former St. Charles Community College President John Mcguire to fill the vacancy.

But in January 2013, some members of the Missouri Senate indicated they wouldn't approve Nixon's nomination, so the governor withdrew it. The seat remained vacant until this month.

"I did some inquiries about the position, since I was retired and had some time," Logan said. "I had energy. I had the effort and I had the desire - and I wanted to give back."