Thread of Service to Others Runs Through University Leader’s Career

Veteran. Professor. Business Leader. Scott Kizzire fills many roles, and in all of them he focuses on serving others. As Associate Vice President of Enrollment Management at Bellevue University, he says the best part of his job is “helping students see how their dreams and aspirations can come true.”

Kizzire grew up in a small community town in eastern Iowa called Jesup, Iowa. After serving three years in the United States Marine Corps following high school graduation, he transferred to the Air Force. He devoted 28 combined years to a military career.

After spending the final nine years of his military career at Offutt Air Force Base in Bellevue, Nebraska, Kizzire retired from the Air Force in 2005. While earning his bachelor’s degree in marketing from Bellevue University, he decided to apply to work at the school. “I knew my graduate degree would be funded and I believed in the importance of investing in the professional development of people,” he said.

A Fulfilling Second Career

Kizzire’s education, role and impact have expanded since, as he approaches his 16th year at the university. He earned his master’s degree in security management from Bellevue University and completed 64 credit hours of doctoral study at Northcentral College.

Since joining the university as a Graduate Admission Counselor, he served in several director and senior director roles, followed by AVP of Global Learning Solutions, before taking on his current role. He also teaches as an adjunct professor for the College of Business, College of Arts and Science and the College of Continuing and Professional Education.

"I work with a dedicated group of people who design and execute student support services for busy, working adults to facilitate students reaching their professional and personal goals and aspirations,” said Kizzire, whose own performance was recognized recently when he received the Bellevue University 2020 Innovation Award. “We believe that every single person at this university is a teacher. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a program director, an adjunct, a full-time faculty member, administrator, admissions counselors, we are all teachers here.”

At the Forefront of Education

Kizzire is a strong advocate for the university, and is proud to help students achieve their goals. Bellevue University stands out, he believes, because it structures its offerings to make education doable in ways fully traditional universities cannot. “We demonstrate a strong commitment to providing career-oriented, cost effective, open-access education through select undergraduate, graduate and professional programs,” he said.

Bellevue University is a unique place to both study and work, and Kizzire has had the opportunity to enjoy both. “In a rapidly changing higher education environment, Bellevue University boldly adapts and innovates so our students and university can be wildly successful,” he said. “We embrace the motto; we are a student-ready college. A student- ready college meets students where they are in life by providing personalized learning and support to transform people into confident, capable and engaged citizens.”