Smeed Appointed Interim President at Park University

January 4, 2021 — Park University’s Board of Trustees has appointed Shane B. Smeed to serve as the University’s interim president, effective Jan. 1.

Prior to becoming interim president, Smeed served the University as its acting president for six weeks after previous president Greg Gunderson, Ph.D., assumed the role of president emeritus. Before his recent appointment, Smeed served as Park’s vice president and chief operating officer since September 2015, providing strategic and tactical leadership to more than half of the University’s staff in the areas of enrollment management, student success, financial aid services, marketing, student engagement, athletics and campus center operations. In all, Smeed has more than 20 years of progressive experience in higher education.

Smeed maintains a strong commitment to a “Park United” and leading a University that celebrates diversity, serves a growing student body and earns recognition from its faculty and staff as an employer of choice. Smeed believes that Park’s motto, Fides et Labor (Latin for faith and work), can inspire students, faculty and staff to achieve all their goals.

Smeed earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Keller Graduate School of Management and a Bachelor of Science degree in business operations from DeVry Institute of Technology. He is currently pursuing a Master of Arts degree in student personnel administration and a doctoral degree in higher education administration, both from St. Louis University. Smeed also participated in Harvard University’s Institute for Educational Management program in 2019.

Smeed has held volunteer leadership roles with several Kansas City area organizations. He currently serves on the board of directors of Synergy Services in Parkville and the board of trustees for the Command and General Staff College Foundation at Fort Leavenworth, Kan. He also served three years (2016-19) on the Planning and Zoning Commission for the City of Parkville, Mo.