Reid
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IU has faculty and staff who come to the university from some pretty exotic walks of life. Take, for example, Diane Reid at IU Southeast. In her former life, Reid—a recent recipient of an IU Southeast Distinguished Teaching Award—was a rodeo queen!
As a sophomore at the University of Northern Colorado, she became queen of the Greeley Independence Stampede, one of the most popular rodeos in the country. Reid, who grew up riding and showing horses, said that her year as a rodeo queen afforded her the opportunity to hone her public speaking skills through radio and local TV events.
For the past 22 years, she has taught communications to students on the New Albany campus. “I have always been in front of people. I was the kid with the lead in the Christmas play. I was the member of the 4-H who was asked to give a presentation. I was the up-front person,” she said.
At IU Southeast, Reid is known as the founder of the bi-annual Veterans Day tribute. She initially began the event in 1999 as a way to thank WWII veterans who agreed to allow her oral interpretation students to interview them and transcribe the notes. Under Reid’s supervision, the students performed a heart-felt salute in theater format, drawing in other departments from the school. Since then, Reid’s program has developed a devoted following from local veterans, who prompted her to continue with them.
“It’s been a good community relations effort,” Reid said.
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