If everything happens for a reason, Steve Howell is living proof.
The new chair of the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education, who has taught in the sport management program since his arrival at NIU in 2011 as a visiting assistant professor, holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in … biology and chemistry.
Sport management wasn’t on the radar until his doctoral program at Purdue University.
“Growing up, I was always interested in science. I thought I wanted to work in that field. I thought I possibly wanted to be in quality control/quality assurance working for Anheuser Busch or Molson Coors,” says Howell, a native of Fort Wayne, Indiana.
“At the end of my master’s degree, my interest started to change,” he adds. “I had been working in the Purdue Athletic Department and campus recreation, and I had an opportunity to work as a graduate assistant in campus recreation, specifically in intramurals.”
One month later, Howell’s boss abruptly left – and the GA suddenly found himself in charge of intramurals.
Meanwhile, his thought to earn a master’s degree in sport management turned into a Ph.D. in Health and Kinesiology with that specialization.
Fate then intervened yet again as he completed his dissertation.
“Purdue had funding for me for one more year, but an opportunity came up in mid-May for a visiting assistant professor job at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Illinois, and I thought, ‘Hey, why not?’ ” Howell says. “So I threw my hat into the ring, and I was fortunate enough to get hired for the one-year appointment that turned into a tenure-line appointment. I was fortunate enough to ‘fake-it-till-you-make-it,’ and I’ve been here ever since.”
Now, as department chair, Howell will apply his preparation in the hard sciences to boost his leadership of faculty in physical education, exercise science and athletic training along with colleagues in his own field of study.
“Having that science background has really helped me to better understand kinesiology, exercise science, exercise physiology and athletic training because I understand the biology and chemistry enough where I can serve on thesis committees and understand the curriculum and the programming,” he says. “We are such an interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary department.”
Laurie Elish-Piper, dean of the NIU College of Education, is happy to welcome Howell aboard.
KNPE, she says, will thrive with Howell’s “wealth of leadership experience” that includes prior service as associate department chair, director of Graduate Studies and the university’s Faculty and SPS Personnel Advisor.
“Dr. Howell is a very strategic thinker and also an expert communicator who can share his ideas,” Elish-Piper says.
“I’m very excited to see Steve bring his passion and innovative spirit for cutting-edge curriculum, student-focused programming and engaged learning,” she adds, “and I’m really looking forward to him having the opportunity to put those ideas to work with the KNPE team, to work with others in the college and to collaborate with others around campus to develop those ideas into reality.”
Results like those are almost guaranteed.
Howell worked with former Chair Chad McEvoy to launch a bachelor’s degree in sport management that has enjoyed tremendous growth since its 2019 introduction.
The new major complemented the minor in sport sales, a collaboration with the NIU College of Business.
It also paired well with new minors that include sport analytics and sport journalism (both in partnership with department sin the NIU College of Liberal Arts and Sciences) as well as the minor in Esports Industry Professions.
During the COVID-19 lockdown, Howell alerted his students to a 12-week seminar series hosted online and for free by Boston-based sport marketing firm Fenway Sports Management.
Partnering with Jenn Jacobs, associate professor of Sport and Exercise Psychology, Howell developed a mentoring program to improve retention of students of color.
As a member of the inaugural cohort of the college’s EdLEAD (Leadership Education and Development) Program, Howell worked to augment the international alliance between NIU and the University of Tetova in Macedonia.
Howell also helped to coordinate and lead an Engage U.S. trip for first-year graduate students in Sport Management to glimpse operations of the NCAA, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Purdue University’s athletic and recreational sport facilities.
He also joined in the college’s maiden Engage Global journey as part of the ENVEST Sri Lanka project.
Beyond the College of Education, Howell was a participant in the university’s PI Academy for Research & Engagement and a fellow of the Mid-American Conference’s Academic Leadership Development Program.
This rich tapestry of experiences should prove beneficial, Howell says.
“Often times, folks can become siloed in their own programming area, and don’t always see what happens in other programs, and I think being able to touch on all those different programs in my time as director of Graduate Studies and associate chair has given me a greater understanding and appreciation,” he says.
“It’s also helped sort of the lessen the learning curve a little bit – I still have a heck of a lot to learn – and it’s given me opportunities to interact regularly with all of our faculty, not just those in my home area,” he adds.
“When you start off as a young assistant professor, you want to be the best teacher and the best researcher and a good departmental citizen, and you don’t really think about administration or leadership. It’s been nice for me to have some high-level touch points, and I hope the faculty know who I am and know me a little bit better.”
Going forward, Howell plans to build on the strong foundation he’s been provided.
“I want to continue the great work of Todd Gilson, Chad McEvoy, Paul Wright, Paul Carpenter and Judy Bischoff. I want to continue on those successes that we’ve worked so diligently and strategically to create and establish, like our PALS, Project FLEX and Human Performance programs, and to maintain the great culture our department has,” he says. “We’ve got fantastic students, a fantastic faculty and a fantastic staff, and I want to continue our momentum and be able to celebrate our successes together.”
