Dr. Nicholas Shudak’s Journey Back to Mount Marty

Dr. Nicholas Shudak is the Dean of Undergraduate Studies and a Professor of Teacher
Education at Mount Marty University. During his time in the academic field, he has written
nearly 25 articles and book chapters, and he has produced roughly $3 million in academic grants.
His academic articles have over 30,000 downloads and 500 citations, marking his lasting impact
in academia.

Shudak’s path to education was not easily defined. He was born in South Dakota to a railroader and a farmer. Growing up in a blue-collar family, he imagined himself becoming a farmer or a mechanic because of his fascination with cars. It was not until his senior year of high school that he considered continuing his academic career.

“My senior year, I just started thinking differently about everything, and started giving college a thought,” Shudak said. “And then, when I got to college, and I was, you know, out of that high school culture, it was just so unbelievably free.”

Shudak, unsure of his career path, took a variety of classes in college to explore his interests. He was excited by the mere opportunity to learn and explore topics that college afforded him.

“I just took classes I was interested in. [I] fell in love with learning in life in a totally different way, and I knew I wanted to make the world a better place,” Shudak said.

Then, during spring break, Shudak sat in on his uncle’s fifth-grade class, which solidified his path as an educator and encouraged him to continue his path into academics.

After graduating from college, Shudak was brought to Mount Marty because of his faith and family. When he was in graduate school at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, his reversion to his Catholic faith encouraged him to apply for jobs at Catholic schools, which guided him to Mount Marty.

“My mom’s family is from Huron, my dad’s family is from Council Bluffs, and Yankton is right in the middle… [and] I wanted to be in a Catholic environment. I wanted to be somewhere close to family, and this (Mount Marty) was it,” Shudak said.

Shudak previously worked in administrative positions at Wayne State College and the University of South Dakota before once again returning to Mount Marty.

“I was able to go to USD to be a researcher and a division chair. From USD, I was able to... step up to be a dean [at Wayne], and I really enjoyed that, so I wasn’t really looking to change too much,” Shudak said. “When the opportunity came to apply to Mount Marty as a dean, I thought it would be a great opportunity to come back.”

A lot has changed at Mount Marty in the 10 years he was gone, but he is encouraged by the growth he has seen at the college. Even still, the core Benedictine values that brought Shudak to Mount Marty remain strong as the school continues to expand.

“I’m a guy who likes to work towards change and progress… Catholics and Christians believe in human flourishing, and so, to be a part of an institution that believes at its core the importance of human flourishing… I want to be a part of that in some small way. That’s also one of the reasons why it’s exciting to be here,” Shudak said.

Mount Marty’s Dr. Jim Reese reflected on the lasting impact that Dr. Shudak has had on Mount Marty. “I don’t think we’ve had a better dean at Mount Marty. I’m glad Nick is here. He’s motivating us to do and be better academics,” Reese said.

Though Shudak delved into a path of education, he maintains his lifelong interest in cars. He used to participate in drag racing but eventually drifted away from the hobby to focus on
family and to balance a busy schedule.

“I always loved auto racing and just working on cars and engines, small engines, anything… I had a 1966 Chevy C10 racing truck, and then we would drag race with it,” Shudak said. “I’m not a true adrenaline junkie… and it’s not for everybody, so we sold the truck right before my fifth kid was born. But it was beautiful, and it was fun.”

Now, Dr. Shudak has taken a step back from research and academic writing to pursue other opportunities. He is working on his second master’s degree, this time in theology, while spending time with his family as both a husband and a dad to his five kids. Despite his busy schedule, he continues to leave a lasting impact at Mount Marty through academic and administrative work.

About Reese McIltrot

Reese McIltrot is a senior at Mount Marty University, currently pursuing a degree in English
Writing. She plays on Mount Marty’s softball team and is a writing tutor on campus. She is from
Broomfield, Colorado, and in her free time she enjoys reading, crocheting, and spending time
with family.