A Steady Hand: Celebrating Steve Shiell’s Legacy at PWSC
by Vicki Heisser |
For over twenty years, Steve Shiell has been PWSC's Director of the Office of Administrative Services (OAS), filling
a critical leadership role for the college. Now that he is retiring, it's important to recognize everything he has given to the students, faculty, and
staff of PWSC. From his work as OAS Director to his creation of the Archery Club to
his work with all the programs of the Valdez Community Campus, he leaves an impressive
legacy.
Mo Radotich, a former colleague in Administrative Services, notes the significant impact Shiell’s dedication has had on the school and its students.
“During his tenure of over twenty years, he did a variety of things that strengthened the college. He not only managed the complex governmental budget process and business office services but also Facility services. Over the last twenty years, every part of the college and dorms has been remodeled and upgraded. Steve designed and coordinated the work on these buildings, working closely with the PWSC Administration, the UAA Facilities and Planning team, and the UAA Finance Department. This included everything from new roofs and remodeling for the dorms, to the remodel and installation of the student commons, which also has a nutrition teaching kitchen.”
“Steve also started the PWSC Archery Club for both college students and the community. In past years, students have competed in state and national competitions, and Shiell and his wife have donated money to fund the PWSC Archery Club scholarship.”
Another former colleague in Administrative Services, Nan Haley, is also extremely appreciative of all Shiell has done. “I feel very grateful to have had an opportunity to work at PWSC and for having Steve Shiell as my supervisor and mentor. Under Steve's leadership, the OAS team worked extremely well together. Steve recognized team members' diverse backgrounds and experiences, and he motivated each individual according to their strengths and weaknesses so that each could contribute their best to the team. I did not think it was possible to have a supervisor who makes me excited for Mondays, but Steve did it. He has shown me that hard work and a willingness to improve yourself are traits that can get you far in life.”
Past Accounting Supervisor Susan Love also shared her appreciation: “Steve has been a great supervisor and mentor to me and many others, and I have seen firsthand how hard he works to make things happen for our students, faculty, staff, and community. It's hard to overstate how much institutional knowledge he has, and how effective he is at navigating complex situations through the many requirements of procurement, risk, and compliance to keep PWSC in good standing. Having a business director with a strong ethical compass is critical, and I know that Steve has always taken that responsibility seriously. I have learned so much from him and will always be grateful for the years we've worked together.”
Shiell has clearly had a lasting effect on those in Administrative Services, but his impact at PWSC does not stop there. Former PWSC president, the late Dr. Dan O’Connor, talked about how Shiell had a long-lasting impact on PWSC. “Over the years, Shiell has initiated projects to beautify spaces and make them more functional. Visitors to the campus, some of them who were former elementary students, were always surprised by the changes that had occurred over the years. They couldn't get over how the Growden-Harrison Elementary School Building had evolved into what is now Prince William Sound College. The college's atrium was regarded as one of the most impressive spaces in town, which was part of a massive renovation project spearheaded by Steve several years ago.”
“During a time when PWSC, like many institutions of higher education, faced challenges, Shiell was there to help. Steve was the ‘architect’ who navigated PWSC through some of the most challenging financial times in the college's history. His knowledge helped to preserve vital financial resources and create a sustainable pathway for the future.”
As his contributions to the college would attest, Shiell is a man of ideas. And those ideas to improve the college have not gone unnoticed by the director of the Theatre Conference, Dawson Moore: “I have always appreciated our collaboration on the Theatre Conference, and multiple times he's had ideas that I initially balked at, but once he's gotten me to institute his suggestions, my event improved because of his suggestions. He got me to move our free housing off the gymnasium floors and into the dorms, a move universally appreciated by our participants. There are multiple examples like this, where his drive for efficiency helped me improve my own performance, and I appreciate his decades of service to the college.”
Current PWSC Campus Director, Dr. Dennis Humphrey says, “A campus director has a lot to worry about, but I never had to worry about budgetary problems sneaking up on us. Steve kept his hand on the tiller of the college's financial situation continuously, and he has always kept the boat right side up through every storm. He has used creativity and critical thinking to help us find solutions to seemingly intractable problems in such difficult times as the COVID pandemic and found ways to get essential facility maintenance done to keep us in business despite a lack of deferred maintenance funding from the state. His impact on campus safety is literally immeasurable, as there is no way to quantify the human and financial cost of accidents that were prevented before they happened. His forward-thinking approach and consistent stewardship will leave a lasting legacy at Prince William Sound College that is both broad and deep.”
All of us at PWSC are grateful and appreciative of Shiell’s decades of service. While his retirement in April 2026 will mark the end of an era, his impact will continue to be felt across PWSC for decades to come.
Mo Radotich, a former colleague in Administrative Services, notes the significant impact Shiell’s dedication has had on the school and its students.
“During his tenure of over twenty years, he did a variety of things that strengthened the college. He not only managed the complex governmental budget process and business office services but also Facility services. Over the last twenty years, every part of the college and dorms has been remodeled and upgraded. Steve designed and coordinated the work on these buildings, working closely with the PWSC Administration, the UAA Facilities and Planning team, and the UAA Finance Department. This included everything from new roofs and remodeling for the dorms, to the remodel and installation of the student commons, which also has a nutrition teaching kitchen.”
“Steve also started the PWSC Archery Club for both college students and the community. In past years, students have competed in state and national competitions, and Shiell and his wife have donated money to fund the PWSC Archery Club scholarship.”
Another former colleague in Administrative Services, Nan Haley, is also extremely appreciative of all Shiell has done. “I feel very grateful to have had an opportunity to work at PWSC and for having Steve Shiell as my supervisor and mentor. Under Steve's leadership, the OAS team worked extremely well together. Steve recognized team members' diverse backgrounds and experiences, and he motivated each individual according to their strengths and weaknesses so that each could contribute their best to the team. I did not think it was possible to have a supervisor who makes me excited for Mondays, but Steve did it. He has shown me that hard work and a willingness to improve yourself are traits that can get you far in life.”
Past Accounting Supervisor Susan Love also shared her appreciation: “Steve has been a great supervisor and mentor to me and many others, and I have seen firsthand how hard he works to make things happen for our students, faculty, staff, and community. It's hard to overstate how much institutional knowledge he has, and how effective he is at navigating complex situations through the many requirements of procurement, risk, and compliance to keep PWSC in good standing. Having a business director with a strong ethical compass is critical, and I know that Steve has always taken that responsibility seriously. I have learned so much from him and will always be grateful for the years we've worked together.”
Shiell has clearly had a lasting effect on those in Administrative Services, but his impact at PWSC does not stop there. Former PWSC president, the late Dr. Dan O’Connor, talked about how Shiell had a long-lasting impact on PWSC. “Over the years, Shiell has initiated projects to beautify spaces and make them more functional. Visitors to the campus, some of them who were former elementary students, were always surprised by the changes that had occurred over the years. They couldn't get over how the Growden-Harrison Elementary School Building had evolved into what is now Prince William Sound College. The college's atrium was regarded as one of the most impressive spaces in town, which was part of a massive renovation project spearheaded by Steve several years ago.”
“During a time when PWSC, like many institutions of higher education, faced challenges, Shiell was there to help. Steve was the ‘architect’ who navigated PWSC through some of the most challenging financial times in the college's history. His knowledge helped to preserve vital financial resources and create a sustainable pathway for the future.”
As his contributions to the college would attest, Shiell is a man of ideas. And those ideas to improve the college have not gone unnoticed by the director of the Theatre Conference, Dawson Moore: “I have always appreciated our collaboration on the Theatre Conference, and multiple times he's had ideas that I initially balked at, but once he's gotten me to institute his suggestions, my event improved because of his suggestions. He got me to move our free housing off the gymnasium floors and into the dorms, a move universally appreciated by our participants. There are multiple examples like this, where his drive for efficiency helped me improve my own performance, and I appreciate his decades of service to the college.”
Current PWSC Campus Director, Dr. Dennis Humphrey says, “A campus director has a lot to worry about, but I never had to worry about budgetary problems sneaking up on us. Steve kept his hand on the tiller of the college's financial situation continuously, and he has always kept the boat right side up through every storm. He has used creativity and critical thinking to help us find solutions to seemingly intractable problems in such difficult times as the COVID pandemic and found ways to get essential facility maintenance done to keep us in business despite a lack of deferred maintenance funding from the state. His impact on campus safety is literally immeasurable, as there is no way to quantify the human and financial cost of accidents that were prevented before they happened. His forward-thinking approach and consistent stewardship will leave a lasting legacy at Prince William Sound College that is both broad and deep.”
All of us at PWSC are grateful and appreciative of Shiell’s decades of service. While his retirement in April 2026 will mark the end of an era, his impact will continue to be felt across PWSC for decades to come.