Dennis Schulte, Ph.D., is a professor emeritus in the Department of Biological Systems Engineering at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. He was inducted into the department’s hall of fame in 2023. He and his wife, Ruth Ann, grew up on farms in northeast Nebraska and raised three children in Lincoln. As Burnett Society members, the couple have established a scholarship fund for BSE students and have included UNL in their estate plans.
Burnett Letter interviewed Dennis Schulte in July 2024.
What was the first job you ever had?
My first job was just about everything one would encounter growing up on a farm in northeast Nebraska. My first paycheck came as a freshman work-study student cleaning bathrooms in Selleck Quad at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. There I worked for a wise and wonderful woman named Ellie, whom I’ve never forgotten.
What is the best advice anyone has ever given you?
When I was a senior in high school, my dad asked me what I wanted to do after graduation. I told him, “Dad, I want to farm with you.” He said, “Great, but first you have to go to college.” Well, I never really left college, and my younger brother took over the farm after going to college. In my opinion, we’ve both been very successful.
Who has influenced your life most positively? Who has influenced your life for good?
I’ve had a lot of great role models and mentors over the years, but the steadiest, most positive influence on me has been my wife, Ruth Ann.
Why do you plan to leave a gift to the University of Nebraska in your estate?
We’ve already set up an endowed scholarship for undergraduates in UNL’s Department of Biological Systems Engineering. A planned gift through our estate provides an additional opportunity to give back to a university that has afforded us so very much over the years.
What is your favorite question to be asked?
I would say it has been “Why Nebraska?” The answer depends on the timeframe. I chose Nebraska because I wanted to farm with my dad. We came back to Nebraska after 10 years in New York and Canada because Nebraska was our home. When on the faculty, and to this day, I say “Why not Nebraska?” to students considering enrolling at UNL because I’ve always believed Nebraska would provide great undergraduate and graduate education with unlimited future horizons for them.
What have you done to help others lately?
I especially enjoy volunteering through the Society of St. Vincent DePaul, where we provide emergency assistance to the poor in Lincoln.
What is your favorite song?
Ruth Ann and I spent five years in Canada before returning to the University of Nebraska. While there, I developed a liking for all of Gordon Lightfoot’s songs, especially “The Pony Man.”
I say “Why not Nebraska?” to students considering enrolling at UNL because I’ve always believed Nebraska would provide great undergraduate and graduate education with unlimited future horizons for them.
