MIAD Values Recognition Award: Duane Seidensticker

Duane Seidensticker and MIAD President Jeff Morin

Duane Seidensticker, Executive Director of Advising & Career Services, has been awarded the April MIAD Values Recognition Award at the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design. Seidensticker’s nominations emphasized his intentional Inclusiveness, supportive Kindness and enthusiastic dedication to MIAD’s Community.

The MIAD Values Recognition Award (VRA) celebrates faculty and staff who consistently model MIAD’s values of courage, integrity, kindness, community, innovation and inclusion. After employees nominate a colleague for the award, a committee made up of faculty, staff and previous VRA winners convenes to vote on the month’s recipient. Awardees receive a $250 prize.

Duane has a lasting and profound impact on colleagues and students alike. “Every chance he gets to share the love and praise those around him, he takes it,” said one nominator. “Duane has gone above and beyond to make me feel welcome and valued,” said another nominator. “To say that he has been patient, kind, and understanding … would be a huge understatement.”

Always fascinated by a career in higher education, Seidensticker had originally intended to become a professor. In spite of a successful year as a teaching assistant during his Master’s program, Seidensticker was sure he needed something else. “I sought out someone at the Career Services office,” he explains. “I may not want to be in the classroom as a professor, but there are a lot of other roles in higher education!”

From there, Seidensticker applied to work at MIAD after seeing a classified ad in the newspaper. After nearly 30 years with MIAD, Seidensticker has seen everything from changes to his title and responsibilities to becoming a supervisor. “I’m still in my first full-time professional career!” he laughs. “Interacting with our students, the passionate drive is there, their own initiative is the number one thing making it happen for them. Being a part of that with them is always refueling.”

“It was surprising and humbling to be awarded,” says Seidensticker. “I truly mean this–when you look at the incredible group of faculty and staff that are here… it feels humbling for me in that regard.” He puts part of his success and contentment at MIAD down to strong working relationships, especially with faculty. The connections with professors and instructors that Seidensticker has developed over nearly three decades are relationships that he profoundly cherishes. “Faculty members, when they mention my office and me to their students, they are in a sense vouching for, endorsing a connection with me and that’s huge,” he explains.

From guiding students through career services to collaborating with MIAD faculty, staff and community stakeholders, Duane deliberately and thoughtfully centers student success. Another nominator continues, “I feel very lucky to have Duane as a mentor and colleague, and he certainly deserves to be celebrated with this acknowledgement.”

Learn more about MIAD’s Values Recognition Award or nominate a colleague at miad.edu/vra.