MUSCATINE, Iowa - From Iowa to Kentucky and now, on to Missouri. One of Muscatine's own, Michael T. Nietzel, becomes more successful with each move.

And he says it all began with the education he received growing up in Muscatine.

After 32 years with the University of Kentucky, where he became the university's first provost in 2001, Nietzel has been named president of Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield.

According to Southwest Missouri State officials, Nietzel, was introduced as president March 4. He also will be a tenured professor in the psychology department. Nietzel, 57, begins his duties July 1.

"I believe his parents would have been very proud of him," said Nietzel's wife, Sandra D'angelo. "As am I."

Nietzel's parents, Myrle and Verle Nietzel, lifelong Muscatine residents, ran Sternemans Clothing Co. in Muscatine until 1987. They were in their 90s when they died in 2004.

Michael said his parents are what he misses most about Muscatine. He also expressed other fond memories of his hometown.

"I received a wonderful education in Muscatine and had a number of outstanding teachers," he said. "I am grateful for those experiences. They prepared me for the future and gave me an interest in education."

According to information from the Southwest Missouri State Web site, Nietzel will replace John H. Keiser, who has been president of Southwest Missouri State since 1993. Keiser announced two years ago his intent to step down as president on June 30, 2005, and the search for a new president began in November 2003. Nietzel was one of three finalists selected from a pool of 59 applicants. The 18-member Search Committee presented the three finalists to the Board of Governors on Jan. 21.

"The Board was extremely impressed with the caliber of candidates who applied for the presidency," said Michael Franks, vice president of the Board of Governors and chair of the Presidential Search Committee, in a Southwest Missouri State press release. "But even with this strong pool of candidates, Dr. Nietzel stood out because of the quality of his background and experience in higher education."

Nietzel said he joined the faculty at the University of Kentucky in 1973 as an assistant professor. He was promoted to associate professor in 1977 and professor in 1981. From 1977-90, Nietzel served as director of the Clinical Psychology Training Program at the University of Kentucky. In 1991, he was named chair of the department of psychology and he completed a second term as chair in 1997. He was the dean of the graduate school from 1997-2001 when he was named provost.

He received his B.A. from Wheaton College in 1969, and his M.A. degree in 1972 and his Ph.D. in 1973 both from the University of Illinois.

According to the Southwest Missouri State press release, Nietzel will be paid $240,000 annually and will receive $100,000 if he serves the four years of his contract.

Nietzel's goals for the university include training students for the future with a creative and entrepreneurial spirit. He also wants to see the college become a model for social inclusiveness and justice.

But with the celebration, comes good byes.

D'angelo said she and Nietzel have strong ties to the University of Kentucky.

"My doctorate is with University of Kentucky," said D'angelo. "And this has been Michael's only professional affiliation. We both have a strong allegiance to UK."

The University of Kentucky reported Nietzel's departure on its Web site Friday.

"Mike Nietzel has been a key element in the development of my administration and was instrumental in moving this institution to the provost model," University of Kentucky President Lee T. Todd Jr. said in a statement posted on the site. "I am extremely proud of my friend for receiving this great opportunity to be a university president at an outstanding institution. But I am also very disappointed that UK will be losing a true scholar who has served me and this university so well."

Nietzel's research interests are concentrated in the areas of forensic psychology, jury decision-making and the assessment of psychotherapy outcomes. He has written several leading books and more than 85 scholarly articles in these areas. He has served on the editorial boards of numerous journals in the areas of clinical psychology and legal psychology, and he has been elected a Fellow in both the American Psychology Association and the American Psychology Society.

Michael Nietzel has one son, Aaron, 20, a student at the University of Kentucky. Michael said Aaron intends to remain in Kentucky to finish his education there.

D'angelo's son, Jeff Schlegel, is married, has two children and lives in Stoughton, Wis.

Jack Nietzel, Michael's older and only sibling, and his wife, Judy, were in Springfield for Michael's appointment to the college presidency. Jack is director of marketing and public relations for the Phoenix Seminary in Arizona. Jack, who is 12 years older than Michael, has four children and the two oldest were born in Muscatine.

Contact Cynthia Beaudette at: 563-263-2331 Ext. 323 orcynthia.beaudette@muscatinejournal.com