Michael Nolan '67 M.S., '70 Ph.D. Rural Sociology

Professor emeritus at the University of Missouri, Nolan served 16 years as the director of the Division of Applied Social Sciences in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources and 28 years as the college's director of International Agriculture Programs.

As Division of Applied Social Sciences director, Nolan was responsible for four academic programs, several large centers/institutes, five undergraduate and six graduate degree programs and more than 400 undergraduate and 100 graduate students.

Since 1980 he has served as principle investigator on external grants and contracts that attracted, during the last three decades, more than $80 million in funding. Even in retirement Nolan remains responsible for over $15 million in external awards and approximately $5 million in annual grant expenditures. The Nolan family has endowed a scholarship at the University of Missouri that supports international experiences for undergraduates.

Nolan's contributions to University of Missouri have been recognized with that institution's Faculty-Alumni Award, College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources' Faculty Mumford Award and an Honorary Membership in the university's Agriculture Alumni Association.

The rural sociology graduate earned his bachelor's degree in 1965, master's degree in 1967 and doctorate in 1970 from Penn State. He lives with his wife, Paula, in Montrose, Colo. They have three sons and seven grandchildren.