South Carolina's State Superintendent of Education Mitchell M. "Mick" Zais, West Point Class of 1969, was presented with an honorary Doctor of Public Education from The Citadel Board of Visitors on Saturday. His citation reads as follows:
Mitchell M. "Mick" Zais, Ph.D. is passionate about education. As South Carolina's State Superintendent of Education, he believes that every student should attend an excellent school and be taught by outstanding teachers. In pursuit of this ideal, Dr. Zais has dedicated his career to excellence in education.
Zais graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and holds master's and Ph.D. degrees in organizational behavior and social psychology from the University of Washington. He also holds a master's degree from the School for Advanced Military Studies at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and was a research fellow at the National Defense University.
After graduation from West Point, Zais served in the Army for 31 years, retiring as a brigadier general. He was assigned to infantry units in Vietnam, the United States, and Korea and served as commanding general of U.S. and Allied forces in Kuwait and of Operation Provide Refuge. In that role, he led the task force that cared for 4,000 Kosovo refugees in the United States. He also taught leadership, organizational behavior, and management consulting on the faculty at West Point. His career culminated as the chief of staff of the U.S. Army Reserve Command.
His numerous military awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, and the Bronze Star. After military service, Zais became president of Newberry College, a private, liberal arts institution that saw its enrollment and endowment nearly double under his leadership. During his tenure, Newberry was named one of America's best colleges by U.S. News & World Report.
In 2011, Zais became South Carolina's 17th State Superintendent of Education. In recognition of his military service to our country and his leadership in education in South Carolina, The Citadel Board of Visitors is proud to present Dr. Mitchell M. "Mick" Zais with the honorary degree of Doctor of Public Education.