About Stew
Dr. Stewart Ross is the founding director for the past ten years of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning at Minnesota State University, Mankato (MSU) where he works with over 500 professors to improve teaching. He holds a Ph.D. from Northwestern University and is a consultant to colleges and universities throughout the country, having given over 50 workshops in 35 states for faculty in the past five years. Previously, he was Director of Bands at MSU for 21 years. Stew has published two books, 50 articles for World Book, Inc. and over 40 articles for various publications. Stew joined the over-100-member Mankato Downtown Kiwanis Club in 1989 and served as a distinguished president from 1997–1998 and as a distinguished secretary for seven years. At the district level he was a distinguished lieutenant governor in 2001–2002, working with 47 clubs in the MN-DAK region reorganization plan. As governor of the Minnesota-Dakotas District, Stew was instrumental in opening three new clubs, the first new clubs in seven years. Stew is currently writing a book for the Jossey-Bass Company on course design for professors, and continues to travel around the country delivering workshops for faculty on topics in teaching and learning. He is in the first year of a planned three-year phased retirement from his MSU position.
Stew's Family
Stewart is married to Liz Lawrence-Ross. They celebrated their 30th anniversary in August. They have two grown children: David, age 27, is a professional flutist who served as the president of the Kiwanis Junior Club of The Hague, Netherlands in 2010–2011 while completing a degree at the Royal Conservatory. At age 11, David performed at a Kiwanis International Convention and raised over $5000 for the IDD Project. Judith, age 23, is a family therapist in West Palm Beach, Florida where she is committed to serving the community. Liz is a 14-year member of the Mankato Downtown Kiwanis Club and has served as president and is the current secretary.