Roger Schmidt ( – April 30, 2018) was an academic who studied religion. He was the acting president of

University of the West University of the West (UWest) is a private, non-sectarian, Buddhist-affiliated university in Rosemead, California. It was founded in 1990 by Hsing Yun, founder of the Taiwan-based Buddhist order Fo Guang Shan and Hsi Lai Temple, the North Amer ...

, a private, non profit, Buddhist-affiliated campus in

Rosemead, California Rosemead is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2021 census, it had a population of 50,245, currently dropping. Rosemead is part of a cluster of cities, along with Alhambra, Arcadia, Temple City, Monterey Park, ...

. He was replaced by Dr. Allen Huang in 2007. Schmidt graduated from

San Bernardino Valley College San Bernardino Valley College is a public community college in San Bernardino, California. It is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. The college has an enrollment of 17,044 students and covers . Valley College is also a ...

(1955), the

University of Redlands The University of Redlands is a private university headquartered in Redlands, California. The university's main, residential campus is situated on 160 acres (65 ha) near downtown Redlands. An additional eight regional locations throughout Califo ...

(1957), and the

Claremont Graduate University The Claremont Graduate University (CGU) is a private, all-graduate research university in Claremont, California. Founded in 1925, CGU is a member of the Claremont Colleges which includes five undergraduate (Pomona College, Claremont McKenna Co ...

(1963) with degrees in philosophy, religion, and history. He taught philosophy and religious studies at San Bernardino Valley College from 1963-1993, including four years at

Crafton Hills College Crafton Hills College (CHC) is a public community college in Yucaipa, California. CHC is part of the California Community College system. It offers associate degrees and career and technical certificates. Since its opening in 1972, more than 200 ...

(1987-1991), and chaired the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies and the Social Science Division. He was a professor of religion, department chair, and Dean of Academic Affairs at the University of the West from 1991 to 2001 and was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University in 1998. Schmidt is the author of Exploring Religion (1980, 1988), co-author of Patterns of Religion (1999, 2004), co-author of San Bernardino Valley College Sports, 1926-1996, co-author with his wife, Ann Schmidt, of an instructor's manual for Exploring Religion, and has published numerous articles, booklets, and book reviews. His academic posts have afforded him an opportunity to teach in London for a semester with the Southern California Foothills Colleges Consortium and the American Institute for Foreign Studies and to travel to Beijing to work on behalf of the University of the West. Schmidt was a recipient of a National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship to research "Images of Christ through Art," and co-produced with Ann Schmidt, "The Life of Christ through Art" and "Images of Christ in Art and Music." He was a member of a National Endowment for the Humanities panel in the "Exemplary Projects in Undergraduate and Graduate Education" program to evaluate grant proposals and was a member of the Project on the Study of Religion in Two-Year Colleges funded by the Charles E. Merrill Trust and administered by the American Academy of Religion and a contributor to its publication, The Study of Religion in Two-Year Colleges (1975). Prior to his elevation as acting president, Schmidt was the UWest Dean of Academic Affairs. He died on April 30, 2018 at the age of 87.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Schmidt, Roger Heads of universities and colleges in the United States 2018 deaths University of Redlands alumni Claremont Graduate University alumni Crafton Hills College people Year of birth uncertain