COLLEGE OF EDUCATION & HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

Texas A&M University

Living legend

Colleagues name professor exceptional scholar

7/18/07

Courtesy of Jessica Henning, The Battalion

A family man, Professor John Hoyle's office is a gallery of pictures. Photos of his family adorn his desk, office walls and even the bulletin board.

He said his wife and family have helped him throughout his extensive career.

Hoyle is a professor of educational administration with a specialty in future studies. Aside from numerous publications on educational leadership, Hoyle authored the "Good Bull" series, a collection of tales depicting Aggie traditions and Hoyle's experience at A&M.

He has been teaching at A&M for 31 years, but his career spans 50 years.

"I started teaching in public school for seven years - teaching, coaching and administration. I coached baseball primarily in Odessa and Midland, Texas. I thought about a pro career," Hoyle said.

The professor, a native of Oklahoma, got the opportunity to play baseball at A&M on a scholarship when he began his undergraduate studies.

He received his doctorate in 1967 from A&M and started teaching at Texas Christian University the same year. He would later teach at five other universities throughout the United States.

"I had the choice to go into public administration or going to a university to a professorship. A&M invited me back. I came back and interviewed, and I've been here ever since," he said.

Apart from his teaching career, Hoyle has received numerous awards, including the National Council of Professors of Educational Administration's first "Living Legend Award" in 1999.

Hoyle was also named one of the four most "exceptional living scholars" in educational administration by a survey of his peers.

"I was so excited. I had no idea that I'd come up in the top 50, much less the top four. It's a lifetime achievement," he said.

Hoyle also said that it's not who has been at it for the longest. "It's by my colleagues who believe somehow I've made an impact on them and on public schools and universities," he said.

He and his colleague are giving the opening session at the National Conference of Professors of Administration Aug. 1, in Chicago.

The professor spoke lovingly about his wife and credits her for his success in writing. "Anything I've ever written reads well because she has edited it. She has been a powerful influence."

Hoyle is also known for his work in A&M's Vision 2020. He helped edit the script for a video and said he became the voice and personality for the program.

When asked about his achievements he said, "I knew early on that I wanted to teach, I wanted to write and I wanted to become a good speaker. I was focused."

"Once you determine what you love to do, you focus on that and you make mistakes… but if you stay at it and stay focused, people see that and they see the persistence," Hoyle said.

Many of his books tackle the characteristic of a servant leader.

"Serving beyond oneself: it causes you to be greater than you are as a human being. It helps you do things and help other people without even being recognized for doing it," Hoyle said.

The professor said he wants to encourage students to reach for excellence while inspiring others to reach for excellence.

The thought of good leaders brought Dr. Hoyle to a more personal topic: his family.

Dr. Hoyle said his greatest accomplishment in life is not his publications.

"The best product is my family and my children. And I'd like to think that the hundreds of school leaders and professors and students that I've taught, if they don't remember anything else, that I was excited about what I'm doing, and enthusiastic about what I'm doing," he said.

Hoyle has some advice for current students.

"It's been said that 'If you love what you do, you're going to do well,' but to be a great leader, you've got to be able to put yourself in the position where you can influence the lives of others and make their lives better. You've got to have a dream."

QUICK LINKS

Employment Opportunities
Faculty
· Adult Education Clinical Associate Prof & Director of TCALL
· K-12 Full/Associate Prof and Director of the Educational Leadership Research Center

 
Register Here Now!! Fall 2008 Career Fair-October 16, 2008
Register Here Now!! Fall Training & Development Certification-October 19-24, 2008


CEHD Technology Support
Howdy Portal
Class Schedules
Registration
Aggie-Pay
Financial Aid
Office of Admissions
Office of Graduate Studies
E-Learning (Web class access)
International Initiatives

 

LATEST NEWS

  • Callahan Appointed Associate Editor Of Human Resource Journal
  • Iden Honored as August 2008 Distinguished Honor Graduate
  • Two Doctoral Students Selected as TCALL Fellows

    • more news »
    archives »

    UPCOMING EVENTS

    No upcoming events...

    view calendar »